Description:
"Breast cancer is not a one-person diagnosis," writes author Barbara F. Stevens. "It is a family diagnosis." Stevens, a breast cancer survivor whose mother also had breast cancer (though she died of ovarian cancer), interviewed 300 breast cancer survivors and their families to learn the personal truth about this disease--not just the medical decisions and treatments, but how the survivor and their family and loved ones coped. Not Just One in Eight presents 19 of their stories. Each story draws us in and holds us captive, as the breast cancer survivor tells about life before and after the diagnosis, including treatments and emotional reactions. Loved ones contribute their observations and feelings, so we get a collage of intimate perspectives and anecdotes. Sometimes the loved ones are wonderfully supportive; other times, they cannot cope and the relationship is disrupted. Sometimes their reactions are shocking, for example, a sister who said, "Well, it's a good thing your breasts are so small because that means you don't have much to lose!" A few marriages dissolve. Postscripts bring us up to date on what has happened since the interviews. Many report, "My health is excellent," but some have not survived. After the stories, Stevens offers chapters on how close we are to a cure and how to lessen the chance of being misdiagnosed. A section on sexuality is particularly strong ("what you really want to know that nobody will talk about"), with quotes from the women (including single, married, and lesbian women) and their partners about sex after a mastectomy. This is a powerful, moving book, with lessons for all of us. --Joan Price
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