BOOK REVIEW by Shaline Das-Fitzgibbon
There is no place like hope – a guide to beating cancer in mind sized bites
By Vickie Gerard
This book was lent to me by a very special person who gave me hope by just telling me that “she believed if anyone can beat the odds I could” thanks my darling Bex this book has assisted me so much in my journey.
This book is written by an American women with an extremely bad diagnosis that beat the odds against cancer. It focuses more on the emotions and experiences that you go through on a cancer journey than her story itself. It is a book that is an easy read and as a cancer patient it helped to justify a lot of feelings that I had or was experiencing at the time. I have also lent it to members of my family as it helped them gain an insight of what I am going through . It covers a variety of stages from diagnosis, dreaded doctors visits, treatment, life and death. It is a lighthearted book that is very easy to relate to and if you are trying to find hope it definitely assists you in that process.
Another extremely special person, my wonderful sister brought it for me and I read something in it every single day to keep me focused. She brought it from Flying Saucers gift shop in Auckland for around $35 but to me it has been invaluable.
I have read and re-read different chapters that have been applicable at different stages of my journey. It has some very amusing parts that make you laugh and I would be very surprised if a cancer patient read this book and did not feel some form of positiveness afterwards. Some parts of it are a bit USA focused, but on the whole I believe that anyone with any type of cancer should find this a book that they can relate to.
My wonderful husband makes sure that I read this book in a peaceful environment, which is often a bath with candles as he knows how important it is to keep positive.
A few of my favorite quotes from the book:
“ Even when it is not probable it is possible to win against this disease. I am living proof of this” page 10
“Again remember what you are fighting for. You are fighting for more days. Today you have one. Find a way of enjoying it.” Page 57
“Those of you who love us-please never be afraid of our tears that you won’t let us cry with you. For if you never see us cry it doesn’t mean we aren’t crying. It only means we are doing it alone.” Page 71
I was so inspired by this book that I have a desire to go the USA to meet the Author Vickie Gerard. This book has helped me so much to keep on track with my positive visualization and definitely has been an important tool on my cancer journey. When I get scared or start to have doubts I pick up this book and always find something that gives me back my positive feelings of hope. I believe that this is a book that every cancer patient should have to assist them on their journey.
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