Lifeblood: A Mother in Search of Hope

by Mina Holland

A raw, honest and moving memoir of caring for a baby with a rare and life-threatening illness.

When Vida is born to Mina and husband Freddie, it is love at first sight. She is perfect. But it is also clear from early on that something is not right.

This is the story of how Vida came to be diagnosed with rare blood disorder Diamond-Blackfan Anaemia, and how Mina and her family's lives were transformed by the experience of having a child with such a serious condition. Together, they move with fierce tenacity into a future that Mina never expected, but one that is rich with love, hope and community.

Intensely personal and yet exploring universal truths, Lifeblood is a beautiful and profound memoir of learning to look beyond the normal and cherish the precious present.

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 19, 2025

About the author

Mina Holland is co-editor of Guardian Cook.

Mina Holland es periodista, escritora y especialista gastronómica en The Guardian. También ha colaborado en medios como The Observer, Waitrose Kitchen o Stylist. Su primer libro, El Atlas Comestible, ha sido traducido a siete idiomas y se ganó la admiración de cocineros como Ferrán Adrià o Paco Roncero. Actualmente es editora de Epicure, el suplemento de la revista Men’s Health.

Reviews

[Maggie John · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thought-provoking, honest and life affirming read. Also, a masterclass in first-person/memoir writing.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the fellow mom to a DBA child, this book was a balm to my soul. Mina articulated the experiences of our family's past year in ways I have been unable to, and her words are truly a gift. Our journeys are different, but the colors and the shadows and the sounds and the smells are uniquely similar. There is really no way to effectively describe the things that happen inside your body and mind when your baby is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness...but Mina finds a way. While our children have the same diagnosis, I think this book will resonate with anyone who has walked the road of medically complexity with a child, as well as the extended family of those parents. I want to just hand this book to everyone I know and say, "read this to understand me, now." Our children change us, and Mina has managed to artfully, gracefully, and poignantly craft a story of how that change breaks us and then puts us back together again.

This book is everything that a book should be: an invitation to step into someone else's shoes, even for a brief moment or a few pages, so that you can walk away with more empathy and understanding of their lived experience. For those lucky enough to never experience the heartbreak of a devastating diagnosis for your child, reading this book will help you understand how to support those who do experience it.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful.

[Emma Halliwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in 24 hours - emotive journey of a family searching for a rare disease diagnosis, amazing book!!

[Hasmita Nair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful, honest read. Learnt a lot about blood, and Mina’s vulnerability was so refreshing.

[Harriet Waring · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most heartbreaking story of Motherhood. Never cried so much over a book but wow I will forever be grateful for everything in life and will cherish my little girl even more

[Ally Southern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful book about life with a child with disability! And so incredibly insightful for someone who has a child with DBA in the family! Thank you for writing this!

[Jennifer Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really beautifully written and a great reflection on ‘slanted motherhood’.

[Elspeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good commute listen read by the author. Quite deep and medical so not easy listening but really interesting story, well told.