Customer Reviews

Every Day Counts: Lessons in Love, Faith, and Resilience From Children Facing Illness

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Maria Sirois is a great story teller, and her book is filled with inspirational tales that read almost like thrillers. I couldn't put this book down for a minute, even as I laughed or cried. Every Day Counts describes Maria Sirois' year as a psychology intern working with children who have cancer. Some people might be turned off by the idea of reading about kids with cancer, but the child-patients teach the author, and teach the reader, all the basic lessons about the power of connection, empathy, caring, listening, love, and faith. And the stories have the absolute ring of authenticity: I know this in my bones from my own career as a psychiatrist (and poet) who has specialized in treating patients who suffer from severe medical illnesses. The wisdom in these stories has helped me appreciate my patients' resilience and to recognize just how much every day counts.

The author tells compelling and insightful real stories of children facing critical health situations, which impart valuable life-lessons and a wonderful message to the reader. For anyone who has lost someone to chronic illness or is presently going through the experience... this book will give you hope, understanding and inner peace. Having recently lost a parent to cancer, I found the children's stories paralleled my dying parent and family's experiences living through a health crisis.

The book is an easy-read, which flows beautifully... I couldn't put it down and continue to think of the children's stories after having finished it. I'm putting it on my giving gift list for many friends & family -- it will have great meaning for all.

This is a gem of a book - wonderfully written and inspiring to read. The stories of ordinary children and families stricken by cancer. Maria Sirois tells the stories about this children and how they affected her in her year of internship. I get the impression that she was changed by her experiences and we are also changed by reading this book. I do not usually read books in the 'inspiration' genre but this one was special and I am grateful that I did read it and will pass it on to others in my family.

Licensed clinical psychologist Maria Sirois presents Every Day Counts: Lessons in Love, Faith, and Resilience From Children Facing Illness, is not a standard, scholarly psychology text; rather, it is a compilation of life lessons learned by the author from her professional experience counseling children facing life-threatening sickness, and their families. Chapters tell stories of sorrow as well as joy, the faith held by children that can far outstrip that of adults, and making peace with the end of life when it comes at a young age. Written for a general audience, and especially to share with those who have or know a severely sick or hurt child, Every Day Counts offers insights to transform one's own view on life, inspiration to emulate the big and little triumphs of small patients, as well as the understanding to cope with inexplicable suffering. Highly recommended.