UPLIFT: Secrets From The Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors

Imprima English

Reviewer: Carolyn Vachani, MSN, RN, AOCN
OncoLink
Ultima Vez Modificado: 11 de febrero del 2003

Author: Barbara Delinsky
Publisher: Pocket Books, 2001
ISBN: B00006B6B4

OncoLink Rating:

Barbara Delinsky, known for her best selling fictional work, shares her personal battle, as well as that of many other men and women, through UPLIFT. Barbara's experience with breast cancer began when she was just 6 years old, with her mother's diagnosis. In 1994, Barbara learned that she had the disease and a year later, a reoccurrence. Her diagnosis, treatment, and recovery were kept private as she continued to work on her novels, treating her cancer as a bump in the road.

In 1998, Coast Road was released. One of the characters is a breast cancer survivor who is a strong, independent woman, and in many ways, like Barbara. This character was apparently familiar to many breast cancer survivors who wrote to the author to share their stories, and the UPLIFT idea was born. The book would be a sort of support group, sharing the experiences of many, including Barbara's own. Her staff set up forms on the Internet for survivors to share their own secrets to success, and share they did! This book is a compilation of uplifting and encouraging advice from breast cancer survivors of all ages. Best of all, all of Barbara's proceeds from the book are being donated to support breast cancer research.

Chapters are divided into categories, including information gathering, dealing with treatment and side effects, and friends and family. One chapter is dedicated to submissions from the men in the survivor's lives, giving a new perspective on the battle with breast cancer. The book does not give advice on choosing treatments, but rather how to go about making the choices.

This book would be a helpful guide for anyone dealing with a diagnosis of breast cancer, but also for those around them. The advice can help friends and family to find out how they can best help their friend or loved one. The book can be read on an as needed basis, which may be helpful for an overwhelmed patient.