Dr. Bob Rich has divided the book into four parts: hope, facts, living with cancer, and tools for fighting back. Each section builds on the others. Topics introduced in the first chapter are expanded and reinforced in the sections that follow. While reading this book I could feel and appreciate how the contributors' strong beliefs have led them to develop the coping techniques. The authors are careful to explain that a great number of self-help and alternative therapies are available. They show us the importance of choosing a lifestyle that encourages the immune system and illustrate what has worked for others. At the same time, the authors respect how vital it is for individuals to confront the diagnosis, gather the hope and encouragement already in their lives, embrace new ideas, and find things to sustain them during the struggle to return to health.
I was glad to see that coping with cancer is also shown from a caregiver's perspective. Phyllis Phucas writes movingly about the experience of caring for her husband. Patients and caregivers alike can learn from her. She tells us, "It's frustrating to redirect a loved one constantly about everything. It's so easy to revert to ordering him around, but that doesn't work at all. I have to constantly remind myself to request everything of him, as if he could make a good decision." Her account shows a wisdom that goes beyond caring for her husband's physical needs to nursing his emotional and spiritual needs as well.
The writing is penetrating, insightful, and intelligent. If you want to learn how to become a valuable member of your health care team, mobilize your inner healing resources, and encourage your immune system, this book is a wonderful resource. The contributors use poetry, fiction and fact to show you the truths of dealing with cancer. I recommend Cancer, A personal Challenge for patients with cancer, their friends, and family. The hope given is realistic, and the tools teach us the importance of nurturing a happy and healthy lifestyle.
Georgiann Baldino
Author, cancer survivor, and support group facilitator.
http://home.comcast.net/~gbaldino/index.htm
In today's world, it's rare that a single family remains unaffected by cancer. It either afflicts a close member of our inner circle or that of our friends. Cancer: A Personal Challenge edited by Dr. Bob Rich is a valuable tool to help one understand the disease and its roots more clearly, while providing healing options and inspiration to both sufferer, family, friends and those in the health profession.
Cancer: A Personal Challenge is an easy-to-understand collection of articles and stories written by eleven health care professionals, patients and survivors. The book begins by presenting the facts about cancer: its origins, environmental causes and the fascinating connections between thoughts, emotions and stress and how they may ultimately affect our nervous system and immune system. It then provides a more holistic/spiritual perspective by examining the anthroposophical writings of Rudolph Steiner and others.
This foundation at least partially address the question: "Why me?" by suggesting we re-examine our stressful lifestyles, radioactive surroundings and chemical-laden food and water. Then this book provides useful exercises to help sufferers deal with the body's "dis-ease," as well as tools for fighting back and coping with pain.
As a lay-person and one who has seen family and friends rage against cancer, one of the most fascinating parts of this book are the first-person stories from those who are "bloody-minded" enough to refuse to give in. Their courageous accounts allow us inside the mind of those ordinary people whose lives have been turned upside down, and paint a picture far more complex than the media's single-dimensional image of "cancer victim." On the contrary, their poignant stories are ones of hope, strength and faith in becoming a survivor and treating cancer not as a death sentence, but as a challenge along life's trail-or transition along a path of ultimate perfection.
After reading this book, I have a clearer picture of the disease than now effects 44% of men and 39% of women in the US. Moreover, I'm struck by the options and choices that each of us can make, individually and as a society, to make cancer a more remote possibility in our lifetimes. That choice is ours.
Brandon Wilson is the author of the award-winning Yak Butter Blues: A Tibetan Trek of Faith and Dead Men Don't Leave Tips: Adventures X Africa www.PilgrimsTales.com. His writing has graced several issues of my newsletter bobbing around.
Cancer: A Personal Challenge
Edited by Bob Rich, Ph.D., MAPS, AASH
Published by Anina's Book Company
ISBN: 1-877-053-11-2
Trade Paperback 202 pages $20.00
Electronic version $7.50
http://anxietyanddepression-help.com/cancerbook.html
Available through Booksurge
Cancer, a creeping, growing, silent shadow, an indiscriminate killer that stalks without soul. It follows no rules, leaves devastation in its path. Dr. Bob Rich has gathered a team of experts. Experts whose knowledge comes from study and research, battle scarred veterans who have fought the beast from within, and those who fought beside them. Scientists, doctors, teachers, researchers, survivors, and those left behind share knowledge, information, resources, battle strategies and techniques, stories, and support in "Cancer: A Personal Challenge."
"Slow Dance" a poem from a terminally ill child, a fictional story here and there, personal stories of battles to survive the beast and the devastation and loss it leaves in its wake are sprinkled through the chapters of information and resources to assist you in making informed decisions and research into strategies to help build healthy life choice defences against attack, and to build your own plans of attack. Motivation, inner healing power, determination, attitude, diet and life style changes, counselling and spiritual care, medical treatment options, nursing and therapies, all are explored, explained and addressed in easily understood language.
"Cancer: A Personal Challenge" offers no one answer, but it does offer many. And in a time when our technology and lifestyles feed and fuel the growth of this threat to humanity, knowledge, information, resources and support offer the best defence. This book explores the physical, mental, and spiritual challenges of this demon destroyer, and it offers strategies and techniques to develop your "power of three" into a weapon of strength. Professionals who study and battle and treat it, explore and explain causes and treatments and techniques. Sufferers and survivors, care providers, family and friends share their stories, their pain, their loss, their hope. This book is for everyone, everyone who studies, treats, suffers, battles, and everyone who cares.
Char is the leading light of several writers' lists I subscribe to. Go to Topica and to a search for 'Writing Road' to find us. She was raised in Zion National Park, and now resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with five of her grandchildren. A medical office manager, Char has been writing since she was eleven. She has published several poems and short stories and completed a paranormal mystery novel, Dream Pictures.
Cancer: A Personal Challenge, edited by Bob Rich, Ph.D.
Cancer is frightening. Dealing with it doesn't have to be. In 'Cancer: A Personal Challenge', individuals share their stories and experiences about handling cancer themselves, or how their loved ones handled it. Cancer is a devastating disease, but it doesn't have to rob an individual of their dignity, self-respect, living conditions, and getting on with their lives unless the individual gives in to the disease and the pain.
'Cancer: A Personal Challenge' isn't just a testimonial to those who survived the disease, but provides information and instruction on how to prevent and work with the cancer once the individual is diagnosed with it. Knowledge is power. Power over the disease is learning how to overcome the pain and even slow down the growth of the cancer cells. Breathing techniques, chronic pain and self-hypnosis exercises are provided for those individuals interested in improving and extending the quality and length of their lives with cancer -- from their chronic pain -- from their disabilities -- from any illness that lessens your life expectancy.
I recommend 'Cancer: A Personal Challenge', edited by Bob Rich, Ph.D. to everyone who has a family member, friend or even an enemy with cancer, or who cares for an individual with cancer. The book is especially for an individual diagnosed with cancer. It is never too late.
Lillian Cauldwell
Lillian Cauldwell is the author of SACRED HONOR -- American Historical Speculative Fiction, Spanning the centuries from 1774 to 2276. She also hosts her radio show. She has lost loved relatives to cancer, and has found the book helpful for her own pain-related problems.
Cancer: A Personal Challenge
Edited by Bob Rich, Ph.D.
2005
ISBN: 1-877053-12-0
Cancer: A Personal Challenge is both a guide and an inspirational resource for those dealing with cancer. This book contains four parts: There is Hope, The Facts, Living With It, and Tools For Fighting Back. The first and third parts of this book are composed of stories written by those touched by cancer. These accounts express the frustration, anger, pain, guilt, defensiveness, anxiety, and self-pity that are felt by those suffering from this disease and those that love them. At the same though, these narratives illustrate inner strength, courage, and the healing power of love and hope.
The second and forth part of this book are much more technical and scientific in nature. The second section explains the technical aspects of the various types of cancer and states the statistical survival rates of such. This information reiterates the importance of early detection and the value of stating personal end of life care wishes.
The final portion of this work is also very detailed. This section examines the various alterative and holistic therapies for cancer. In particular, this section looks at the connection between psychological processes and the immune system; the role of stress in reducing and fighting various forms of the disease; and the benefits of meditation, guided visual imagery, and hypnosis in reducing pain and fear associated with cancer.
Tami Brady
Co-Dean: School of Religion and Spirituality, Suite University
http://www.suite101.com/suiteu/school.cfm/16647
Community Manager: History & Government Community, Suite 101
http://www.suite101.com/historycenter/
Author of The Complete Being http://trbrady.esmartdesign.com/