SEEDS is the true story of how a young woman and her mother, under the watchful eye of Communists, escape from Yugoslavia to a new life in America. In this incredible account, Sasha and her mother walk out of a Yugoslav prison and into the open arms of strangers across Europe who shelter them for years at a time. They finally arrive in America with only a few suitcases of clothes, her mother's rolled-up paintings and a handful of English words. Living in a roach-infested Manhattan hotel - without jobs, family or friends - the refugees realize their fight for survival has only just begun. Sasha quietly pursues her childhood dream of becoming a physician. But she must overcome poverty, language barriers, discrimination - and her mother's disapproval. With the accidental discovery of Sasha's secret plans, her daughter's newfound independence threatens to tear the two apart and destroy everyone's dreams. After an unforeseen tragedy, Sasha must find the courage to continue her unlikely journey to becoming one of the most respected oncologists in America.
Dr. Sasha Vukelja is known to her patients simply as "Dr. V." The V stands for "Victory," a reference to her determination as an oncologist to fight for her patients who are diagnosed with cancer. She began writing her memoir, SEEDS, over 20 years ago after the sudden death of her mother--initially as an attempt to simply survive the tragedy of losing her. SEEDS reveals her memories of her mother and their flight across Eastern Europe in a desperate attempt to escape communism and start a new life in America. In recording her mother's story, she felt she could somehow perpetuate her mother's legacy and the impact she had on her life and the lives of many others.
People who have read the story of SEEDS relate to it on a number of levels. People who lost their parents. Or had a difficult childhood. Or simply have an impossible dream they want to achieve, despite the odds. Through her story, she hopes people learn to recognize the seeds being sowing in their own lives, too. The book's proceeds go to help place foster children in loving homes. She and her husband have two children and they reside in Tyler, Texas.
