Making sober less shameful | Clare Pooley | TEDxNewnham

Clare Pooley gave up alcohol in March 2015; months later she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She told everyone about the breast cancer, but, ashamed, kept her decision to stop drinking secret. Now, three years later, she has given up anonymity, and is on a mission to make sobriety less shameful for everyone. Clare Pooley describes herself a ‘a middle aged, over educated, over privileged, (formerly) overweight Mum of three who had a long love affair with high priced, good quality wine until she realised that the relationship was going nowhere.’ She studied at Newnham College at the University of Cambridge, and was an advertising executive in London before becoming a full time Mum. In 2014 she started a blog called 'Mummy was a Secret Drinker' under the pseudonym SoberMummy, and has now published a book, 'The Sober Diaries', with Hodder and Stoughton. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx