Presents over forty true short stories by breast cancer survivors, showing the emotional and spiritual strengthening they underwent during their physical struggles.
"This is an outstanding book. Murphy has done the cancer community a vital service."--Library Journal "Provides a valuable resource for young women. Combining anecdotes from breast cancer patients who have undergone treatment with emerging scientific research, Murphy has compiled a clear and nonjudgmental guide to negotiating treatment and living with the illness."--Publishers Weekly
It was no coincidence. There were too many cancer diagnoses in the Tropea family to be coincidental, and Diane Tropea Greene knew it. Apron Strings is the painful but courageous story of Diane and her family, a family that was decimated by cancer. Diane learned that her cancer was caused by the BRCA2 gene mutation for breast cancer, which affected both the women and men in Diane's family. Knowledge is power, however, and the lesson of the Tropea family is important for anyone who suspects their family has too many cancer diagnoses to be coincidental.
Though the Road is Long, You Don’t Have to Walk Alone There’s nothing easy about having cancer. For most people, cancer is a hard, reluctant journey through rugged, unfamiliar terrain. Ultimately, however, there are really only two ways to face cancer: in our own strength or with the help and strength that God supplies. Strength for the Cancer Journey provides empathetic, daily reminders that God is present for anyone facing the challenges of cancer. Each of these thirty devotionals draws upon anecdotes and insights from God’s Word to help readers invite God into the realities, uncertainties, and frustrations of their cancer experience. While cancer is a journey no one wants to take, no one ever has to walk that road alone. This devotional book will help both patients and caregivers to engage deeply with God, gaining new strength for the cancer journey.
This is a collection of personal stories by ten courageous women about how they are living with breast cancer, not dying from it. Written with humour, insight, raw emotion and honesty, each story details one woman's personal experience - from the shocking diagnosis to surgery and beyond.
One woman’s memoir of getting a cancer diagnosis at age thirty-two—and how rediscovering her faith in God carried her through to a second chance at life. A breast cancer diagnosis at age thirty-two left Maimah Karmo’s world shattered. She was the survivor of civil unrest in Liberia, a college-educated corporate professional, and a dedicated mother to her daughter—breast cancer was not part of the plan. How could this happen? With the help of family and friends, Maimah uncovered her own strength, rediscovered her faith in God, and navigated a completely foreign medical world. Through this struggle to reclaim her body and her soul, she learned what was truly important in life—and she didn’t stop there. During recovery, Maimah took a leap of faith and founded the Tigerlily Foundation, an organization that supports young women before, during, and after breast cancer. She had lived through her own journey; now she wanted to help others do the same. This inspiring account covers Maimah’s journey through an exceptional childhood to her experience with cancer that would change her life forever. It is not only a story of love and determination, but also of what can happen when you are given a second chance at life. Fearless illustrates that even when a situation appears to be impossible, true faith—in yourself, in God, and in those you love—will lead you toward the life you always wanted, the life you have a reason to fight for.
Brave Breast Cancer Survivor Reveals Her True, Inspiring Story In A Personal Memoir! Learn to Beat all the Odds and Never Give Up Hope Like Gracie Did! Despite the fact that breast cancer has a better survival rate than many other forms of the disease, being diagnosed with it is utterly terrifying. There are no guarantees for what lies ahead in the short or long term, aside from the fact that it will be painful and difficult. "Gracie's Story: Fighting to Survive Breast Cancer" is the story of one woman's survival from the shock of diagnosis to the joy and relief of becoming a cancer survivor. Living and Laughing through Treatment and Recovery Three cornerstones held Gracie up through her experience of diagnosis, a double mastectomy, reconstructive surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments: love, support and a positive attitude. For Gracie, staying positive became part of staying alive. She credits her ability to focus on things that brought happiness and laughter into her life with helping her come through cancer. "Gracie's Story: Fighting to Survive Breast Cancer" can offer hope, encouragement and a sense of community to anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer and their friends and family. The road ahead is so scary because it is unknown. Walking along it with a positive and determined survivor can give strength and courage to those reeling from the shock of being diagnosed with cancer. No two people experience this disease the same way, but learning about how others have stayed positive through surgery and treatment makes the road ahead less frightening. Support from loved ones is important, but reading the words of someone else who has been through the diagnosis and treatment and come out the other side as a survivor offers a deep sense of hope and encouragement. "Gracie's Story: Fighting to Survive Breast Cancer" is not just optimistic get well wishes; it is one woman's real life survival guide. In other words, it is an important read for anyone who has been recently diagnosed with cancer and those close to them.
A feminist breast cancer memoir of medical trauma, love, and how she found the strength to listen to her body. As a young, queer woman, Catherine Guthrie had worked hard to feel at home in her body. However, after years writing about women’s health and breast cancer, Guthrie is thrust into the role of the patient after a devastating diagnosis at age thirty-eight. At least, she thinks, I know what I'm up against. She was wrong. In one horrifying moment after another, everything that could go wrong does—the surgeon gives her a double mastectomy but misses the cancerous lump, one of the most effective drug treatments fails, and a doctor's error may have unleashed millions of breast cancer cells into her body. Flat is Guthrie’s story of how two bouts of breast cancer shook her faith in her body, her relationship, and medicine. Along the way, she challenges the view that breasts are essential to femininity and paramount to a woman’s happiness. Ultimately, she traces an intimate portrayal of how cancer reshapes her relationship with Mary, her partner, revealing—in the midst of crisis—a love story. Filled with candor, vulnerability, and resilience, Guthrie upends the “pink ribbon” narrative and offers a unique perspective on womanhood, what it means to be “whole,” and the importance of women advocating for their desires. Flat is a story about how she found the strength to forge an unconventional path—one of listening to her body—that she’d been on all along.