47 Pairs of Shoes
A Story of Cancer, Courage and Leadership
At 47, my world was turned upside down. I was a single mother, a corporate leader, and suddenly without notice, a cancer patient. What began as a race to the hospital became a year of treatments, uncertainty, and unimaginable change.
Out of that experience comes my memoir to be published in 2026, 47 Pairs of Shoes. The title holds many layers of meaning: I was 47 years old when diagnosed, I endured 47 treatments, and that year, more than 47,000 people lost their lives to cancer. It is also symbolic of “walking in my shoes” a journey of resilience, transformation, and rediscovering purpose.
Author’s Bio
Do you know Nina?
Nina Witenden is an executive leadership coach, keynote speaker and founder of The Gold Room, where she helps organisations develop courageous leaders, strengthen team performance and create workplaces where people feel seen, valued and understood.
Before founding The Gold Room, Nina spent more than 25 years in senior leadership within Australia's financial services industry, leading large teams, managing multi-million-dollar portfolios and developing future leaders. Recognised for her expertise in leadership, people development and organisational performance, she became a respected voice within the profession, with her work regularly featured in industry publications and the media.
Then life changed without warning or choice, when she was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive bone cancer.
In an instant, she exchanged boardrooms for hospital wards, enduring 47 days of chemotherapy, multiple limb-saving surgeries and years of rehabilitation. Throughout her treatment, she also watched too many friends and fellow patients lose their own battles with cancer.
For years Nina searched for the meaning behind what she had lived through. She realised that while she could never change her diagnosis, she could choose what she did with it.
"47 Pairs of Shoes" is the book she wished she'd had when she first heard the words, "You have cancer." It is a deeply personal memoir of loss, courage and hope, interwoven with the practical lessons, reflections and tools that helped her navigate uncertainty, rediscover herself and build a life filled with purpose.
Away from her work, Nina is happiest discovering beautiful restaurants, watching a great film, travelling, adding another pair of shoes to her collection, and walking her beloved toy poodle, Marni.
Thank you for walking in my shoes. I hope this story helps you find your own way.
WHY I’M WRITING THIS BOOK
This isn’t just a cancer story. It’s a story about the power of inner narrative.
47 Pairs of Shoes is a story about the power of the inner narrative, the voice we all carry inside us that can either break us or help us rise. Throughout my illness, I discovered that courage is not about fighting harder but about changing the story I told myself.
When I shifted my mindset from fear to possibility, I tapped into my values as my anchor: health, connection, courage, authenticity, and hope. These values became the quiet strength behind every decision, every day I kept showing up.
Most importantly, I learned that self-leadership is not optional when life falls apart. It is the ability to take charge of your mindset, to hold steady in the chaos, and to lead yourself through disruption, even when you can’t control the outcome.
More Than a Memoir.
47 Pairs of Shoes is a raw, honest, and hopeful story for anyone navigating a life-changing diagnosis, supporting a loved one, or simply trying to find meaning in disruption. It blends storytelling with practical strategies I now use in my work as a leadership consultant – guiding people to live and lead with clarity, courage, and purpose.
Through this book, I hope to inspire others to:
Rethink the stories they tell themselves.
Reconnect with their core values.
Practise self-leadership to move forward with resilience and hope.
Walking With You.
This book is more than my journey, it’s an invitation.
Whether you are a leader, a carer, or someone rebuilding after a setback, 47 Pairs of Shoes will give you tools to navigate life’s toughest moments with strength and authenticity.
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