Original Edelweiss: a memoir to honour and celebrate our wonderful mother Margot's unconditional love and generous laughter, charts one son’s journey overcoming grief after her sudden departure at the hands of a silent assassin.

Across thirty-eight haiku diary entries the swirling emotional states of mind that occupy the grieving heart, from initial tsunami, to receding tide, and into calmer waters, are explored. In parallel, a collection of eleven short stories celebrating Margot’s 'wry & dry' wit, and her unconditional love, emerge as golden memories supplanting those emotional peaks and troughs with joy.

That Margot, our mum, was taken has long been accepted by us all. The manner of her departure, taken too soon, and ambushed by this silent assassin, will however, forever defy acceptance.

Original Edelweiss, as a letter of love, indeed charts one son’s catharsis in the face of profound grief, but it also evolved into a search for meaning. Beyond that personal journey, beyond acceptance, this search for meaning became a call to action to apprehend that silent assassin.

Thus, the author hopes, Original Edelweiss, will also inspire action to greatly improve investment in vital research to shift the needle of available clinical responses to ovarian cancer from disease management to disease prevention.