Customer Reviews

Cancer As a Turning Point: A Handbook for People with Cancer, Their Families, and Health Professionals

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book was integral in my coming to grips with my own cancer and how to get on with my life in a meaningful way. I have shared it with many others, both those with cancer and others who are not cancer patients but who are introspective and ALL have found it to profoundly change their lives. It continues to be a powerful tool in my life.

Thank you LeShan for writing this book. The ideas are timely and clear, though he pulls no punches -- for many people it's either change your mind and life, or that's it. His stories are excellent, and not only the "successes" are here. The best mind/body book I've read.

LeShan discusses how purpose and fulfillment in life play a crucial role in who gets cancer and who beats cancer. He worked with hundreds of patients over many years and his conclusions make sense and provide a message to everyone.

Highly recommended.

LeShan's book is a excellent review and summary of important concepts in holistic approaches to cancer. He reminds us that holistic medicine rests on four basic axioms: (1) Health requires treatment of all levels -- physical, psychological, and spiritual; (2) Standardized approaches are not helpful -- treatment programs must be individualized; (3) Patients need to be part of decisions, given as much knowledge and authority as they will accept; (4) Everyone has self-healing abilities that need to be engaged.

I dont understand somthing, why all the time people are saying that this is for people figuting cancer? LeShan in his own words says that cancer is a normal process that is heppening in every body 24 hours a day, it is only the immune system that isnt able to fight the process and as a result what we are calling a diease excist.

I am trying to say that everybody should read and accept what is in this book, the immune system is the gate for everything, dosent matter weather you are figting the "diease" or weather you are an elite athlete needs to strengen his body and mind.

It is up to you weather you use the tools writen here, but it is an eye opening book that tells you how far you can go.

LeShan's message is simple -- put your life before your illness. For years, he helped people with cancer to live the lives they wanted to live, to "sing their own song" as he puts it. These people frequently recovered from cancer in the process of working on their lives.

Some of these stories are amazing. The people you meet are ordinary folks with a lot of strikes against them, but they manage to transform their lives and, in a surprising number of cases, cure their cancer.

I apply LeShan's approach in my wellness workshops and in my book, The Art of Getting Well. Get your life right and your health will likely (although not necessarily) follow.

David Spero RN www.art-of-getting-well.com

Cancer as a Turning Point is a well researched, informative and interesting book written by an expert in the field of cancer and cancer research. LeShan is a psychotherapist rather than a medical doctor and thus he approaches the topic of cancer from a different perspective. In the book he provides much useful and practical advice for cancer patients, their families and friends, therapists of cancer patients and medical professionals in the cancer field. This book is packed with information but progress a bit slowly at times. Overall, it fills a niche other cancer books miss because it addresses cancer more holistically and a more emotional, psychological point of view. While not perfect, this book is definitely worth reading for anyone touched by cancer.

Cancer belongs to the category of clubs you'd never want to be a member of, and when you're forced to join against your will, it's hard to be there. I should know because I'm a member.

Having cancer involves a whole lot more than the terror of a life-threatening illness and the often torturous treatment that makes you sicker than the disease. It damages your self-worth and self-esteem, can cause extreme depression and PTSD, ends jobs and relationships; in short, it effects your life in a catastrophic way.

Larry LeShan treated terminally ill cancer patients for 40 years and determined almost immediately that the standard therapeutic model--what's wrong with this patient and how can we fix it--was not working. He developed a new approach by saying, what's right with this person and how can we bring more of that into her life? Not surprisingly, many of these patients improved and some became miracles by recovering completely.

He noticed that there was a common denominator among these people: that each of them had a passion that had gone unexpressed. By guiding them to express their passion, for example, to learn, finally, how to play piano, they often improved.

The mind-body connection is a well-accepted fact today. The state of one's mental, emotional, and spiritual health influences how well or poorly the immune system functions. Depression leads to all kinds of physical illness, including cancer, because it severely depresses immune system functioning, just like the continual expression of rage elevates blood pressure and over time, damages the heart.

In no way does Larry LeShan believe that a person is responsible for creating his or her dis-ease; in fact, he chides those who would suggest that. In this wise and profoundly compassionate book he relates the stories of his patients and offers his decades-long experience in the psychology of how and why we get sick. It is by far the most useful book about cancer I have ever read, and continue to read whenever I feel myself stray from my passion.

I first bought this book ten years ago thinking someone will get cancer and I want to know what to say to them. The exercises in the back are
excellent for anyone getting their life on track.The patient insights and recoveries are very compelling proving for some that you can get control of your life and beat this.
This is now my standard gift for cancer patients. LeShan's other book YOU CAN FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE is also full of wisdom about handling family, doctors,
friends and your own feelings. SO moved, I went to visit him when my husband had cancer. I am now the patient. This has given me courage and a positive attitude
and greatly reduced the trauma of dealing with this disease. I heartily endorse this book for patients, family, and friends.

LeShan really has it down; after 40 years of working with cancer patients he has distilled how to fight for your life doing inner work. He says find your joy in every day, make your work the kind that makes you want to get up in the morning, make time for exercise and feeding your soul and loving others. He has research to prove it works. At last we have a guide to go further than our conventional medical treatments take us and making your life meaningful and joyful boosts your immune function. Immune function is the part the medical model forgot! You can do more and LaShan shows you how. I work as a music therapist with cancer patients and am a survivor myself. This book makes perfect sense; get it and read it!