Customer Reviews

Can Survive

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"Can Survive" was written to provide cancer survivors (those who have completed successful treatment) with a road map to life after physical recovery from the disease. The obstacles facing survivors are surprisingly plentiful, and many are not obvious either to survivors or to friends and family members. The chapters of practical advice in areas such as insurance, employment, and residual effects of treatment, are thorough and helpful. Because of ignorance, discrimination, poor communication, and other factors, it is crucial that the survivor venture back into the mainstream with a tool kit of strategies, and "Can Survive" provides those tools in an effective and well-organized manner. This book would be the finest present I could imagine to give to a patient leaving the hospital after being pronounced "cured", and I believe it would be an excellent idea for hospitals to do just that.

The book discusses serious issues that arise after primary treatment is complete, and it therefore deals with some difficult topics. Despite this, "Can Survive" maintains its empathetic and positive tone throughout. Many of the personal vignettes of survivors are troubling and can leave one thoroughly disappointed in the "system". In my opinion, Susan Nessim's most important achievement with "Can Survive" is that she guides the reader through these minefields with a gentle touch, and with the clear assurance that others have experienced, and conquered, the same problems. This book contains both important practical information that can be put to immediate use and an optimistic, tenacious spirit that enables the fight. Besides being an invaluable resource to survivors themselves, it should be required reading for friends or family striving to understand the experience of their survivor, and to help him or her negotiate the unexpectedly perilous shoals of post-treatment life.

I purchased this item after my husband was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 40. He has malignant melanoma. This is the only book he has needed to answer many of his concerns. The information is easy to read and understand. My husband is amazed at how the book is answering the exact things he needs to know or are concerns at the top of his list.

For example, he was dealing with the impact of the diagnosis and how it can affect family relationships. The book addressed those topics in the next chapter that he read. It gave him answers and a sense that what he was going through was normal.

I would recommend this book to anyone that has been diagnosed with cancer or knows someone who has. It serves to benefit both.