Naked Narrative with Katie Murray
Katie Murray was diagnosed at 40 with Stage II ER+ invasive lobular breast cancer. Katie reads her piece to us from Nottingham in the United Kingdom.
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Naked Narrative: A Journey of Healing Through Writing and Time
There are moments in life when our bodies and minds hold stories we’re not ready to tell — when trauma wraps itself tightly around the threads of our existence, waiting to be dislodged. For Katie Murray, writing became the act of unwinding those threads, of finding the silent stories that her body had helmed and bringing them into the light.
In Wildfire Magazine’s 2021 “Body” issue, Katie shares that this process unfolded most powerfully in the quiet, sterile halls of a hospital during her third surgery in five months. Writing in the face of fear, loneliness, and the echo of past grief, Katie discovered something profound: her body wasn’t just the vessel of these experiences — it was the keeper of them.
Writing as a Lifeline
Katie didn’t expect to write in the hospital. The idea came out of necessity, a lifeline in the midst of uncertainty. As Covid-19 constraints isolated her from loved ones, writing became her anchor. She found herself journaling on the gurney, moments before being wheeled into surgery, and again immediately after waking up. The act wasn’t simply about distraction — it was about connection.
She captured memories stirred by the environment — the sound of the Doppler under her arm, the cold sharpie marks on her skin. These small, sensory triggers opened doors to past trauma, transporting her back 19 years to the birth of her daughter, Coral Sunrise. Memories of fear, love, and loss mingled with her present reality, creating a tapestry of interconnected experiences.
Threads of Trauma and Love
Katie’s story is one of duality — of fear and hope, pain and healing. Nineteen years ago, her body brought her daughter into the world, only to have her taken away to an incubator, fighting for her life. That traumatic experience, though long past, echoed back to her in the hospital bed.
She wrote of the resuscitation table that didn’t work, the whispered prayers over her tiny baby, and the weight of sitting alone, unable to touch her daughter. She also wrote of the miracles — Coral Sunrise kicking out her chest drain, defying odds, and thriving against all expectations.
These memories intertwined with her present fears of yet another surgery. But instead of being consumed by them, Katie used writing to reclaim her narrative.
Healing Through Writing
For Katie, writing wasn’t just an act of processing — it was an act of healing. She describes writing as a practice, much like yoga for the soul. By moving her pen without judgment, she discovered truths she didn’t know she held. It allowed her to not only revisit her wounds but also to see the scars, the healing that had already taken place.
Katie’s advice for others hesitant to write is simple: don’t think of it as writing. Think of it as a practice — a way to connect with yourself, to breathe, to release. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it doesn’t have to be shared. It just has to be honest.
A Love Letter to the Past
In the end, Katie’s story is a love letter — not just to her daughter, Coral Sunrise, but to her past self. She speaks of learning to love the girl she was 19 years ago, to listen to her stories and hold pride in them. It’s a reminder that healing is not linear, that it often requires us to revisit the places we’d rather forget, and that our bodies and minds hold wisdom we must uncover.
Her closing words are a testament to her journey:
"Thank you, body, for all you have helmed. It will be my pleasure to give your silent stories life, to show them the air and the sunshine."
Katie’s narrative is a powerful reminder that our bodies are not just vessels of experience — they are storytellers. And when we listen, when we write, we give those stories the voice they deserve.
Writing Prompt Inspired by Today’s Episode
Use a writing prompt to access what you feel. We've touched on this in talking with Katie, but the best thing to do is to take a phrase, take a poem, take a quote, take something as an entry point onto your page and let it be your path in, so you don't really have to think too hard. Write as a stream of consciousness for this prompt:
I can break down or I can break open.
What would it look like to break open? Set your timer for eight minutes. Write without stopping. See what needs to come out and where it will take you.
If you find that you write best with a good prompt, check out our free prompts and learn about our writing workshops.
Happy writing! Until next time, take good care.
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