Aubrey Was Here

by Emily Gurney, Sarah Bailey (Editor), Lauren Melville (Illustrator)

"Today, I heard someone say childhood cancer is proof that God doesn't exist. I laughed. If they only knew..."

Emily's inspirational memoir, "Aubrey Was Here," is a light-hearted, candid, and often hilarious window into three remarkable years of her life. This is your best friend sitting across the table, eating sweet potato fries and telling you what it’s like to have a kid with cancer. (And some other kids, too.) Emily’s unique prose, sparkling wit, and unexpected trauma humor bring unusual depth to the caregiving experience. From parallel parking to crying a lot in her bed, there is nothing Emily wouldn’t do for a brownie/ her kids.

285 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 21, 2025

Reviews

[McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about childhood cancer that will pull at the heart strings AND make you laugh/smile the whole time?! Who knew. Emily is so funny and I loved reading all her internal thoughts as her world got turned upside down. I learned so much- how much cancer children go through, how to serve other people better, how to be grateful for the normalcy of everyday life, and how to look for God amidst the horrible. Everyone read this!!

[Lexi Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so worth the read! Even though I’ve never experienced anything like this, Emily helped me feel not so alone in the world.

[Kamala Besendorfer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not know a book about childhood cancer could be like this! I mean, YES, of course there are some tough parts. But in a way that only Emily can, it was also funny, entertaining, inspiring and validating as a fellow cancer mom. It will open your eyes to one family’s experience with childhood cancer but also increase your faith in God. As a fellow cancer mom whose son has the exact same cancer, i can honestly say that everyone needs to read this! 💛🎗️

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartfelt and beautifully written. What a journey that so many people go through alone. Thank you for your voice of comfort and hope in a world where life is fraught with trials and struggles and sadness and hardship.

[Marian Babaoka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't Miss This One!

A touching, beautiful, & even sometimes laugh-out-loud funny story of a mom's perspective on life during a difficult period in her sweet daughter's young life.

[Loralee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written book about the challenges, blessings, and the many tender mercies of a family facing childhood leukemia. This was truly an inspiring book.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily is such a great writer! I liked that she kept things real and didn’t try to sugarcoat her experience or lean too heavily into “lessons learned”.

[Nedra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely and terrible story, well-written with humor and pain as a mom goes through the tragic battle with childhood cancer in one of her daughters. It is funny but real and painful all the way through as she combines this battle w sending another daughter on an LDS mission, mending broken hearts of other children, carrying the load of false judgments and finding a God she loves in every turn, talking to Him honestly, thoroughly and thankfully all the way through. At the end I felt jealous of her. She got to keep hers.

[Elyse Thorup · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a powerful book sharing a family’s fight with childhood cancer. I laughed a lot, I cried so much, and I learned even more. I dog-eared plenty of pages (apologies if that bothers you), and felt so inspired and uplifted amidst my own struggles. I loved it, and I highly recommend!!

[Julie W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book. The blurb on the front cover is being humble: “Moderately inspiring. Occasionally hilarious. Astonished true.” Truly inspiring and Emily is hilarious. I loved how Emily made something as terrible as childhood cancer be inspiring. I don’t think I can look at life and the many miracles around me the same way.