DES Stories : Faces and Voices of People Exposed to Diethylstilbestrol [Paperback]

Margaret Lee Braun (Author), Theo Colborn (Author), Nancy M. Stuart (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0898220785 | ISBN-13: 978-0898220780 | Publication Date: June 15, 2001 | Edition: 1st

DES Stories is a tribute to the millions of lives upended by exposure to DES, diethylstilbestrol, synthetic estrogen, toxic chemical, and carcinogenic prescription drug. In photographic portraits and interviews, DES daughters, mothers, and sons tell, in their own voice, what it's like to be DES-exposed. Today the DES story continues to unfold as research brings new findings to light. DES Stories rings with daring honesty—and points to broader concerns about the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

From 1938 to 1971, physicians prescribed diethylstilbestrol (DES) to prevent miscarriage and promote the birth of healthy infants. It was also used as a morning-after pill, a lactation suppressor, and a treatment for acne and some cancers. Ranchers added it to livestock feed. By 1970, a rare, sometimes fatal vaginal cancer began to appear in teenage girls, and research linked it to the DES that their mothers took. Scientists also discovered that the drug caused autoimmune disease, fertility problems, and urogenital deformities in exposed sons and daughters. Braun, a DES daughter, and Stuart, an award-winning photographer, show us the consequences of DES exposure by bringing us portraits and stories of 40 people affected by the drug. Mothers, sons, daughters, and spouses speak frankly about their struggles with illness, infertility, and guilt. Unlike traditional women's health or environmental studies books, this volume, appearing on the 30th anniversary of the discovery of the DES-cancer link, serves as both a cautionary tale and a monument to the resilience of the affected. Highly recommended for all collections. Barbara M. Bibel, Oakland P.L., CA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Margaret Lee Braun is the past executive director and co-founder of the national DES Cancer Network in Washington, D.C. She has played a key role, working with legislators, scientists, and consumer organizations in gaining DES medical research and education. Margaret has consulted on DES research studies and serves on the National Cancer Institute steering committee overseeing DES medical research in the United States. Her experience as DES daughter, cancer survivor, and national health advocate inspires her recording of DES Stories.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Visual Studies Workshop Pr; 1st edition (June 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898220785
• ISBN-13: 978-0898220780
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,898,516 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DES - alive and well, December 8, 2002

By 

Linda Hastings (WI, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: DES Stories : Faces and Voices of People Exposed to Diethylstilbestrol (Paperback)

If you thought DES was a thing of the past - guess again. DES is alive and well. All you have to do is look into the faces staring up from the pages of this book and listen to the personal stories of the people exposed to this drug to know you are in the presence of a powerful force. No, I'm not referring to DES, although its impact is profound. I am referring to the miraculous ability of the human spirit to survive and transcend experiences most can only imagine. I know. I'm one of the survivors.

While you will not find my story contained within the pages of this book, I am there. I am a DES daughter, a cancer survivor. I am also a psychotherapist specializing in health psychology. Through my work, I hear a lot of stories, but few compare to those associated with the widespread medical mistake of DES.

Despite the scope of the problems created by this drug, those of us who live with the aftermath are in danger of being forgotten, or at least overlooked. Upon seeing a new physician recently, he said, "I was told in medical school that we wouldn't be seeing any more people exposed to DES." I informed him that I certainly hoped he wouldn't see any new cases of DES exposure, but there were plenty of us still walking around to tell the tale of DES and of our experiences with it. This book does precisely that - tell the tale.

Many thanks to Margaret Lee Braun and Nancy Stuart for a well-written and graphically poignant book. It is tasteful, respectful, and a much needed reminder that we are still here.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Witnessing, July 24, 2001

By 

Pamela Klainer (Rochester, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: DES Stories : Faces and Voices of People Exposed to Diethylstilbestrol (Paperback)

DES Stories is a powerful witness on many levels. One calls readers to share the quiet drumbeat of loss ... unique in the life of each person, yet universal in the experience of this drug. Another calls us to honor the insistence on accountability on the part of all who were involved in bringing DES into women's bodies: drug companies and physicians,primarily. Another calls us to recognize the importance of witnessing and of being witnessed ... of sharing profound and painful life moments without pity, judgment of the ways different people have chosen to cope with their injuries, and without wanting to "do" something. In the face of these stories, the appropriate response is respect, empathy, and our own re-commitment to justice.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, August 21, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: DES Stories : Faces and Voices of People Exposed to Diethylstilbestrol (Paperback)

This book was a great book on true life stories and DES. It was so great for someone to write a book on illness which effect people everyday. I recomend it greatly!!!