Camilla Jessen
Sophie Kinsella dies at 55 as experts outline brain cancer warning signs.
Bestselling novelist Sophie Kinsella has died at the age of 55 after living with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Her family said she passed away “peacefully,” surrounded by “family and music and warmth and Christmas and joy.”
Beloved author’s final years
Kinsella — born Madeleine Wickham — revealed her diagnosis in April 2024, explaining she had kept it private so her children could “process the news in privacy.”
She had been diagnosed in 2022.
Her final book, What Does It Feel Like?, published in 2024, was shaped by her own illness. It follows an author navigating life after a sudden brain tumour diagnosis.
Kinsella rose to global fame with the Shopaholic series, which sold more than 45 million copies and inspired the 2009 film Confessions of a Shopaholic.
She is survived by her husband, Henry, and their five children.
Early symptoms she noticed
Kinsella spoke about her first warning signs, describing how several symptoms appeared at once.
“The first symptoms that I had was, in fact, was my legs,” she said. “I was stumbling. I was tripping. I started getting very severe headaches. I got very confused. But it was really when I started tipping over in my chair that we realized something really was wrong.”
Despite her diagnosis, she told Robin Roberts she was focused on the present: “I’ve already lasted more than the average. That’s how we get through. We hope.”
Her “happy ending,” she said, would be knowing her family would be OK.
What is glioblastoma?
Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive and fast-growing brain cancers. It begins in the brain or spinal cord and can occur at any age, though it is more common in older adults.
More than 12,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with it each year, according to the American Brain Tumor Association.
Warning signs
The Mayo Clinic lists a number of symptoms linked to glioblastoma, including:
- Persistent headaches, often worse in the morning
- Blurred or double vision
- Difficulty speaking
- Nausea or vomiting
- Balance or coordination problems
- Muscle weakness in the face, arms or legs
- Changes in touch sensation
- Confusion, irritability or mood changes
- Memory problems
- Seizures in people with no previous history
Anyone concerned about symptoms is advised to contact a medical professional.
Sources: Mayo Clinic; American Brain Tumor Association; Newsner
