Darkness and light - Joe Thompson

Darkness and Light: My Story is the heart-wrenching and soul-stirring autobiography of footballer and two-time cancer survivor, Joe Thompson. His mother's battle with mental illness and father's descent into a life of drugs and crime saw him battle adversity from birth. Football opened up a new world of opportunity when Manchester United signed him, aged nine. Joe spent six years living every boy's dream but was left devastated when the club released him at 16. He bounced back to forge a career in the Football League, before his life was thrown into turmoil. At 23, he was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer. Six months of chemotherapy followed, which eventually rid his body of the disease. He had been given a second chance at life, but three years later he was given the shock news that his cancer had returned. An 18-day stay in an isolation unit reduced him to skin and bone, but he vowed that he wouldn't be beaten. For a second time, Joe gave cancer the boot and he has since made an incredible return to professional football.