Cancer: It's Not A Death Sentence: The Story Of Three Family Members And Their Fight To Defeat A Deadly Disease

by Ross Suozzi

Overview

THRIVING WITH CANCER

 

Survival doesn't have to be a patient's only goal, and feeling overwhelmed doesn't have to describe what it's like to go through treatment. Focusing on one's purpose and goals can make every day more manageable.

 

In a book that tells the harrowing story of his own diagnosis and treatment alongside his wife's and his eldest son's battles with a deadly disease, Ross Suozzi encourages readers to see that a "successful" treatment comes from actively plotting a positive approach to each and every day. Reflecting on his own trials and errors, he offers a step-by-step guide filled with helpful suggestions for cancer patients and those who love and care for them. Suozzi details his family's discovery that a semi-structured and thoughtful approach to daily living can do wonders when it comes to navigating the confusion, letdowns, and pains that arise during treatment. Conscientious planning can help to lower anxiety, boost overall well-being, and even make room for moments that are full of life's exuberance.

 

This book tackles personal and family issues that aren't often raised by medical professionals and shines a light on what matters most: experiences that give life meaning and purpose.

 

Cancer: It's Not a Death Sentence is about reaching for happiness and recovery in the face of sudden life-threatening situations like cancer, and reviews the caregiving, life, and health challenges of survivors and members of Ross Suozzi's family. Where other cancer memoirs often become singular focuses blending personal experience with recovery and medical insights, Suozzi's ability to cover both sides of the cancer coin creates an atmosphere that is as specific about emotional hurdles as it is about treatments, what works and what doesn't, and how to handle not just physical but psychological and social challenges surrounding cancer. This cancer survivor's ability to incorporate all these facets under one cover represents a unique approach to his subject that will educate and enlighten not just fellow sufferers, but caregivers, families, friends, and anyone whose lives have been touched by a cancer diagnosis.

James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780578569970
Publisher:	Cancer Its Not A Death Sentence
Publication date:	09/14/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	166
File size:	950 KB

About the Author

ROSS SUOZZI is the cofounder of Peaks Athletic Club in Fountain Hills, Arizona. Survivor on many deadly diseases and multiple pneumonia encounters. I share a wealth of knowledge on survival techniques that are real world experiences and not taught in a class room.

Editorial Reviews

Cancer: It's Not a Death Sentence is about reaching for happiness and recovery in the face of sudden life-threatening situations like cancer, and reviews the caregiving, life, and health challenges of survivors and members of Ross Suozzi's family.

Suozzi faced his own cancer; then that of his wife and eldest son. The first thing to note about his story is that it combines a memoir format with health advocacy and insights on combating huge challenges with bigger pictures in mind, both about the role of health professionals during this battle and the ultimate goal of families challenged by health developments: "The doctors and nurses weren’t there to give us special attention, coach us, or teach us everything we needed to know to survive each day, and they were most definitely not there to help us think about becoming and staying happy. They were working to keep our bodies alive, but it was up to each of us to keep our lives going. After diagnosis and during treatments, different aspects of each of our lives fell apart in ways that we had not anticipated. And we needed to learn quickly about things that we had never before thought we’d need to know."

One of cancer's side effects is that it isolates sufferers and their families in insidious ways. Suozzi attacks this sense of distance in the introduction to his story ("The purpose of this book is to help you navigate and cope with that feeling, believe in yourself, and keep your friendships, your family, and your life intact while you work on kicking cancer’s ass."), creating a road map of positive goals that moves beyond the usual focus on recovery and into the arena of building a better life not just despite, but because of a cancer diagnosis.

Because Suozzi lived thorough not just his own role as a cancer patient in recovery, but as a caregiver helping other family members with their own struggles, his book includes a great deal of insights on the special concerns of the cancer caregiver: "There may be a point in your caregiving task where it becomes extremely clear that recovery is not attainable. But that does not change the need for you to be supportive. I encourage you and, should you have them, your team of family and friends to find a way to take a positive approach to the precious time your loved one may have. My family’s experience has shown us that difficult times are made easier if they are filled with what is most meaningful to us."

Where other cancer memoirs often become singular focuses blending personal experience with recovery and medical insights, Suozzi's ability to cover both sides of the cancer coin creates an atmosphere that is as specific about emotional hurdles as it is about treatments, what works and what doesn't, and how to handle not just physical but psychological and social challenges surrounding cancer.

This cancer survivor's ability to incorporate all these facets under one cover represents a unique approach to his subject that will educate and enlighten not just fellow sufferers, but caregivers, families, friends, and anyone whose lives have been touched by a cancer diagnosis.

Cancer: It's Not a Death Sentence is an unexpectedly inspirational ray of light in the literature of cancer survivors. It should be on the bookshelves and reading lists of anyone touched by a cancer diagnosis.

Diane Donovan, Author

Editor, California Bookwatch

From the Publisher