"With grace and good humor, Hope tells us what we all should know about facing this life-altering disease. Extraordinarily moving and helpful, this book is essential reading for cancer patients as well as their families and friends."
--Marc Silver, author of Breast Cancer Husband and editor at U.S. News & World Report
"What a remarkable book."
--Jimmie Holland, MD, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, author of The Human Side of Cancer
"Meaningful and valuable to cancer patients, their families, friends, caregivers, physicians, and therapists--as well as any compassionate individual living in a society with other human beings. Lori's hopeful and melodic voice sings throughout."
--Jo Ellen Lezotte, past president of The Cancer League, Inc."Help Me Live is personal, practical, and heartful and makes it easier to navigate the nitty-gritty realities of what to say and do if you want to help."
--Jean Shinoda Bolen, MD, author of Close to the Bone: Life-Threatening Illness and the Search for Meaning
"Lori Hope's masterful storytelling and clear explanations are invaluable, helping you understand (and forgive) others' hurtful words and actions. . . . This book is a gift."
--Wendy S. Harpham, MD, cancer survivor and author of Diagnosis: Cancer
Owner Reviews, Ratings, Comments and Criticism
I have had my fair share of cancer battles. In hindsight, there were some battles that I won, and some battles that I lost. I am confident I have won my own personal war against this life-altering disease. Society has a label for someone like me: `A Survivor'. Though the terminology might be appropriate to a degree, I do not think of myself as `A Survivor', but rather a person who has been given a fair share of blessings because I had to my own cancer fights. I consider my self `A Conqueror'. Hard to imagine? Then you should think again. My cancer battles helped me evolve as a person, made me a more enlightened soul, one who appreciates each and every moment I have here. Unfortunately, too many people forget this. My point in sharing this little history of mine is so that you know I am not a single event cancer fighter, but a multiple event Conqueror!
Saying all of this, if you or a person close to you is fighting the big `C', then I cannot express to you the significance of Lori Hope's book Help Me Live: 20 Things People with Cancer Want You to Know. This is more than a must read . . . the advice and perspective Ms. Hope shares thru her book is, and again, I cannot express this enough, essential to the recovery process for not only the person who is physically fighting this dreaded disease, but also the entire support group of family and friends, who too are fighting this disease through their support of the cancer victim.
As a `Conqueror' herself, Lori was wise in her writing style for this book. Filled with a sense of ease, grace, and lots of humor, this book shouts out with pragmatic optimism that every individual involved with the `C' war will appreciate. You will find yourself after reading this book, regardless if you are the physical victim, or part of a support group, filled with optimism and a certain sense of clarity. The funny thing is that I said to myself after reading this book (my book is now filled with so many notes), `why is it that a person has to go thru this stuff to be able to see that the trees have beautiful leaves, and I better take a look at them?"
This is simply put an invaluable book, one not just for those that are fighting any type of medical issue, but in many ways a guide to how we should interact with one another.
I would like to personally thank the author for writing this much needed book.
Reviewed by Peter Senese. Author and `Conqueror'.
