AsearingdebutYApoetryandessaycollectionaboutaBlackcancerpatientwhofacesmedicalracismafterbeingdiagnosedwithleukemiaintheirearlytwenties,forfansofAudreLorde’sTheCancerJournalsandLaurieHalseAnderson’sShout.WhenWalelaisdiagnosedattwenty-threewithadvancedstagebloodcancer,they’resuddenlythrustintotheunsympatheticworldoftubesandpills,doctorswhodon’tusetheircorrectpronouns,andhordesof“well-meaning“butpatronizingpeopleofferingunsolicitedadviceastheynavigaterockypersonalrelationshipsandsharetheirstoryonline.Butthisexperiencealsodeepenstheirrelationshiptotheirancestors,providingaddedsupportfromanotherrealm.Walela’sdiagnosisbecomesacatalystfortheirself-realization.AstheyfilloutformsintheinsuranceofficeindowntownLosAngelesortraveltotherapyinwealthierneighborhoods,theybegintounderstandthatcanceriswhereallformsoftheiroppressionintersect:Disabled.Fat.Black.Queer.Nonbinary.InBlesstheBlood:ACancerMemoir,theauthordetailsagalvanizingaccountoftheirsurvivaldespitetheU.S.medicalsystem,andofthestruggletofacedeathunafraid.
