‘Shopaholic' Author Sophie Kinsella Opens Up About Battle With Brain Cancer

Sophie Kinsella arrives at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards 2009 in London, England, on June 2, 2009. Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

During a recent “Good Morning America” segment, British author Sophie Kinsella, renowned for her best-selling “Shopaholic” book series, shared insights into her battle with brain cancer.

Speaking with the morning talk show’s co-anchor, Robin Roberts, Ms. Kinsella, 54—accompanied by her husband of over 30 years, Henry Wickham—described how a lack of coordination initially caused her to suspect something was not right with her health.

“The first symptoms that I had was ... my legs. I was stumbling, I was tripping. I started getting very severe headaches. I got very confused,” she explained during the July 23 interview. “But it was really when I started tipping over in my chair that we realized something really was wrong.”

In November 2022, the author sought medical advice, undergoing a brain scan, which showed that she had a grade 4 glioblastoma. Less than two weeks later, Ms. Kinsella endured an eight-hour surgery to remove the aggressive and fast-growing tumor.

“They found the tumor, and they got it all out as much as they could see,” she said, calling the operation “a triumph.”

Ms. Kinsella subsequently underwent treatment at the University College Hospital in London, including chemotherapy and radiation, and was prescribed weekly chemotherapy pills.

Despite the success of her brain surgery, the author said she has experienced a range of challenges following the hours-long procedure, including memory loss and impaired movement, which she has been working to overcome through rehab.

“At the moment all is stable and I am feeling generally very well, though I get very tired and my memory is even worse than it was before,” she captioned an Instagram post, shared on April 17, announcing her cancer diagnosis.

“I am so grateful to my family and close friends who have been an incredible support to me, and to the wonderful doctors and nurses who have treated me. I am also so grateful to my readers for your constant support,” she continued in part.

“To everyone who is suffering from cancer in any form I send love and best wishes, as well as to those who support them. It can feel very lonely and scary to have a tough diagnosis, and the support and care of those around you means more than words can say.”

‘My Happy Ending’

Glioblastomas, most commonly diagnosed around the age of 64, are generally considered incurable. Due to their rapid growth rate and inherent resistance to common forms of cancer treatment, the brain tumors are relatively difficult to treat, per the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.

According to The Brain Tumour Charity, the average survival rate for those battling the aggressive form of brain cancer is between 12 and 18 months. However, only about 25 percent of people who have been diagnosed with glioblastoma survive more than a year, with roughly 5 percent living beyond five years.

During her candid interview with “Good Morning America,” Ms. Kinsella expressed her gratitude to her husband, with whom she shares five children, for being a constant source of positivity throughout her cancer journey.

“He has just been such a hero. He stayed with me in the hospital the whole time,” she recounted. “I once said to him—I got very teary at one stage—and I said, ‘Oh my God, but you didn’t sign up for this.’ And do you know what he said? He said: ‘Yes, I did. In sickness and in health.’”

Elaborating on her husband’s role as her caregiver, Ms. Kinsella shared some of the ways that he has helped to uplift her spirit each day. “He brings me a cup of tea every morning, and he comes to me with a story of hope,” she said. “I’ve already lasted more than the average. So, you know, that’s how we get through. We just hope.”

“The Burnout” author touches upon some of her health struggles in her forthcoming fiction novel, “What Does It Feel Like?” The book, set for release in October, follows an acclaimed novelist who is “facing a devastating diagnosis and learning to live and love anew,” per a synopsis.

“It’s about an author with five children who gets brain cancer,” Ms. Kinsella told Ms. Roberts. “So you can detect the inspiration, and I just thought people might be curious to know what it feels like to go through this. It’s funny in parts; it’s sad in parts ... I hope it’s full of optimism and love most of all.”

Ms. Kinsella said her fight to overcome brain cancer has taught her the importance of living in the moment. “You just think, ‘Well, let’s not think [about] the global picture, let’s just think about today,” she shared.

The writer also expressed her hopes for the future. “My happy ending is that whatever happens to me, my family is okay,” the author offered. “I think that’s my happy ending because that’s what I care about.”