Understanding Cancer - The Cancer Series part 1

If you follow my blog you know that recently I've had a bit of trouble with what I wanted to say on my blog. It's a style blog, and will continue to be so, but I felt like I have too little to say and to offer. I scrutinised my interest and my knowledge and I came to the conclusion that if anything I can write about science. Medical science is my field of research, more particularly pathology, and even more particular than that - cancer of the large intestine. I work in a research group that focuses solely on cancer of the large intestine, that is cancer in the colon and the rectum (which is the bit between the colon and the anus). We have people working on all the different aspects of this particular cancer, but my work is mostly to do with the genes and mutations that cause cancer in the large intestine.

So I thought I'd describe a bit of what I work on and break it down for you all so that it's not just some medical mumbo-jumbo but actually understandable. To start we need to ask the basic question: What is cancer?

Cancer is a disease that is caused by cells that divide abnormally and more than they should. This can often lead to a growth - a tumour. A tumour is not always cancer, you can have a tumour that is benign, which means that it is "nice", grows slowly and is usually safe to have. A tumour is basically just a mass of cells. For example, a wart is a tumour. Warts are not usually dangerous, they're a bit gross, but they are definitely not cancer. Cancer evolves when the cells normal division is disrupted and goes out of control. It's a cancer when the cancer cells grow in size and number and grow into surrounding tissue or spread to other parts of the body (via the blood or lymphatic system) and become cancers at the new location (what you have then is a metastasis which is basically a "daughter" tumour). The tumour (the mass of, in this case, cancer cells) is now called a malignant tumour which behaves more aggressively.

Hopefully now, you understand what cancer is on a basic level. So my question to you is: Are you interested in me continuing this and writing more about science and specifically cancer (which is my area of interest and knowledge)? Or is it too much?
If you have any questions about the actual information in this blog post pop down to the comments and ask me, I will do my best to answer!

I promised that I would continue as a style blogger as well, so I wore this lovely deer dress from Larmoni. Again.

But this time I paired it with a long sleeved blouse because it is getting colder here. I am very excited about the weather getting chillier and the air getting crisper. I've mentioned many time that I love autumn, and slowly the leaves are transforming into the golden colours that we associate with this wonderful season.

Blouse: Miss Patina (here)

Dress: Larmoni (here)

Shoes: New Look via Asos (here)

Socks: Primark (old)

Much love

End the silence

This is not a planned post. I wrote it in about 2 minutes, but I was only a couple of hours ago informed that today is World Suicide Prevention Day, and I cannot keep silent on such a day. I will begin by saying that I suffer from depression, I am however not going to talk about my own feelings and experiences as I feel like I need more time to write a post like that.

What I will say is this:
Suicide is happening. All the time. Every 30 seconds someone will take their own life. Not talking about it is clearly not the solution. We've tried not talking about it for as long as we've existed, and it's never worked. The conclusion is simple, and it is that we need to talk about suicide. We need to talk about mental health, mental illness and depression. Without judging and without the shame and stigma.

Suicide is completely preventable - if we just talk about it. It is a conversation worth having, and it is a conversation that will save lives.

A friend of mine shared these moving and important TED talks about ending the silence around suicide, and I really think they are vital for everyone to watch. Please take the time to look:

Watch here


On this day and every day,
Much love to you all

When you have nothing to say...

I've been struggling with what to write on the blog recently. I think it started after the blog post Natural Self, where I felt like I had something really important to say, and it was very well-received. However now I feel like nothing I have to say is as significant. I want to show you all my style and my outfit pictures, but I think that most of you also appreciate that I type down a line or two about something...

Dress: Pepaloves (old)

Tights: Asos (here)

Flats: Asos (old)

As I don't really have much to say, I'll talk about this dress. Do you sometimes see a dress and fall in love with it because of one little detail? That's what happened to me with this one from Pepaloves. The scalloped edges just make me so happy and I love how it's made a fairly standard drop-waisted dress extraordinary. Speaking of details... I also love love love these tights with hearts on it. I'd seen them around and I just think the heart print is so cute, so adding it to tights - Yes please!

If you have any suggestions on things you'd like to read on the blog please feel free to leave a comment.

Much love!

A New Decade

The decades I am most inspired by in terms of style are the fifties (especially late fifties) and early sixties. However lately more and more of the later sixties and also the seventies has started to creep into my wardrobe.

This new skirt from Larmoni is the latest addition to my wardrobe. I had been after a corduroy skirt in a yellowish tone for ages when I happened upon this A-line skirt. I just knew it was a match when I saw it. Evidently, it is the most "70's" item of clothing that I own. It is probably also the only seventies-inspired skirt I have, but I like it very much and I have a feeling it will become a staple in my autumn wardrobe.

What decades are you most inspired by when it comes to style? Are you someone that maybe likes to mix the decades and create a unique style?

Shirt: H&M (old), similar from ModCloth (here)

Jumper: Vila (old), similar from ModCloth (here)

Skirt: Larmoni (here)

Tights: Primark

Shoes: Ecco (here)

By the way, I've had a long discussion about the colour of this skirt. I claim it's some sort of yellow, like ochre, but my Mum and sister say that it's camel. So, I want your opinion, what colour is this skirt? Settle it once and for all.

Hope you all have a lovely Sunday afternoon this early autumn day.
Much love