The complete story

A Double Dose of Sense of Tumor

Two illustrated cancer memoirs by Toronto-based Lebanese-Armenian author Raquel Bahnam. Leukemia, life, and a very questionable sense of humour.

Sense of Tumor hardcover cover and illustrated open pages — Sense of TumorPublished in 2017 by Kédémos Publishers. Raquel Bahnam’s first illustrated memoir finds absurdity and self-deprecating humour in her experience of leukemia and chemotherapy.

Sense of Tumor 2 hardcover cover and illustrated open pages — Sense of Tumor 2Published in 2019 by Kédémos Publishers. The story continues after relapse and a bone marrow transplant, with honest storytelling, illustrations and irreverent humour.

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Signed hardcoversSold as a setCustom dedication available at no extra cost.

A few words

A Message from Raquel

Thank you for supporting my work, my story, and everything Sense of Tumor has grown into over the years.

There's a lot more coming to this website! I'll be opening up more of the archives, adding photos and stories that have never been shared before, and building some other sections I'm very excited about.

For now, you can explore the site, dig through the press archive, and order signed hardcover copies. Stay tuned. I'm not done yet!

With love,Raquel

The journey

The Story Behind Sense of Tumor©

I was 21 when I was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). During a year of chemotherapy and long hospital stays, I started a blog to tell the story as I lived it, mostly through absurdity and self-deprecating jokes. The blog accidentally reached 36,000 readers, and people started asking for a book. That's how Sense of Tumor came to life.

Then came a relapse, more treatment, a bone marrow transplant, and eventually, Sense of Tumor 2, the first copy of which, in a rather royal plot twist, was read by Queen Silvia of Sweden.

A2CL Montréal book signing, 2024

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The public record

Apparently, people
talked about it.

Explore the archive

Sense of Tumor, out in the wild.

Sense of Tumor book signing with the Scouts at MJC

Raquel Bahnam speaking and signing books at Inspire Fitness Academy

L’Orient-Le Jour clipping about Raquel Bahnam, 2019 — L’Orient-Le Jour Profile — October 19, 2019

Raquel Bahnam on Hawa El Horriye, LBCI, December 18, 2017 — Hawa El Horriye on LBCI — December 18, 2017

Raquel Bahnam presenting the books at the NCLW event with Queen Silvia of Sweden — Reception of Queen Silvia of Sweden at the NCLW — October 16, 2019

Raquel Bahnam signing books at the Sense of Tumor 2 launch, Cancer Awareness Village 2020 — Cancer Awareness Village / Sense of Tumor 2 Book Launch — February 28–29, 2020

Featured Across

L’Orient-Le JourThe NationalRadio-CanadaPrincess Margaret Cancer FoundationLBCIFuture TVMBC1Al JadeedOSN NewsWorld Cancer DayAlfa Al YawmYasmina MagazineSalon du LivreJaras Scoop FMNRJ RadioHiltonRadio LebanonNaef K. Basile Cancer InstituteAMALOUNAAUBMCCEIM

Reader reactions

Apparently, people have thoughts.

Reviews, reactions, and several highly questionable compliments.

Even the robot has opinions.
“Oh. She can actually f*cking write.”
Funny, intimate and wonderfully inappropriate. Sense of Tumor finds the absurdity inside something unbearably heavy, and somehow makes you laugh without making any of it less real.
— ChatGPT(Yes, ChatGPT read them too.)

“I laughed at things I felt morally obligated not to laugh at!! Painfully good!!”
— E.H.

“I must admit that putting your thoughts and feelings about your experience was truly a brilliant and amazing idea.”
I can only imagine how many young fighters you inspired to always keep fighting and to just never give up!
— T.H.

“This is a cancer book you can laugh at, cry over, AND colour in.”
— C.C.