FLYING KIWI PUBLISHING
MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30 March 2015
The moving cancer battle of a Kiwi family in the Greek Islands.
In the summer of 2001, Lucy Mortzou was a bouncy blonde seven-year-old having fun with her family and friends at their
home on the Greek island of Rhodes.
Although her Kiwi mother Colleen and Greek father had just separated, life was bright for the little girl.
But by year-end, Lucy would be hospitalised and starting the fight of her life against an aggressive and rare cancer.
Throw Me a Smile is the true story of Lucy’s battle to survive, told in diary entries and personal recollections by the mother who stayed
by her side as they fought this savage disease – navigating life in clinics and hospitals, enduring difficult
treatments, and making and losing friends in the cancer wards of Athens.
Expatriate Kiwi author Colleen Morgan grew up in Christchurch, where she worked on the Star newspaper before a love of travel and adventure drew her overseas.
A journalist and businesswoman, Colleen faced the challenge of cancer far from home, often alone, but made it through by
dogged endurance and love – and was able to celebrate Lucy’s return to health with a Make a Wish trip back to see family
in New Zealand.
This is a compelling tale of a family’s life changed forever, which reveals with honesty and compassion the harsh
realities of childhood cancer.
Royalties from Throw Me a Smile will go to the Elpida children’s cancer charity in Greece
Flying Kiwi Publishing is a London publisher managed by New Zealander Martin Moodie
Release Date: 1 April 2015 | ISBN: 978-0-473-29645-2 | RRP $34.99 Paperback, 210 x 148 mm, 240 pages (8 pages of colour)