Surviving Cancer (Paperback)

~ (Author) "When facing a major health crisis, connecting with people is an invaluable lifeline..." (more)
Key Phrases: visualization tape, health care proxy, body toxins, New York, Cape Cod, Andrew Weil (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"When facing a major health crisis, connecting with people is an invaluable lifeline," writes Margie Levine in Surviving Cancer: One Woman's Story and Her Inspiring Program for Anyone Facing a Cancer Diagnosis. Call "friends in the medical field, and then friends of their friends"; call "hospitals, libraries and health clinics... cancer organizations and holistic health centers"; contact intimates and "fellow travelers" (others with cancer) for support. Such networking, says Levine, yields "information that may be more immediately useful... than what you find in books, because it is first-hand, people-driven, up-to-date, and customized to your specific situation by the questions you ask." That said, Levine, in a compassionate but matter-of-fact manner, offers an exceptionally helpful book. She suggests small, practical steps that can make a big difference organizationally, such as using a tape recorder and a medical notebook to record information. She outlines alternative therapies (massage, acupuncture, etc.), spiritual and psychological resources and practices (meditation, prayer, journaling), medications, diet and strategies for dealing with MRIs and stress in general. Recommended for anyone with cancer and their loved ones.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Levine is a health education teacher, a social worker, a therapist specializing in integrative medicine, and most importantly a cancer survivor. Diagnosed with mesothelioma of the lung in 1989, she was told that she only had six months to live. Her success story is told in this combination of aggressive, cutting-edge medicine, nutritional support, meditation, visualization, and other alternative therapies. By networking, Levine sought out the best physicians and latest treatments and investigated clinical trials. Along the way, she provides helpful hints for becoming one's own best advocate. Cancer sufferers can use her story as a road map to effective treatment. Unique in its combination of the personal and the practical, this inspirational guide is recommended for public libraries and consumer health collections. [The "Forty-One Steps to Wellness" section was originally self-published as Embracing Challenge. Ed.] Jodith Janes, Cleveland Clinic Fndn.
- Jodith Janes, Cleveland Clinic Fndn.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 234 pages
• Publisher: Broadway; 1 edition (August 14, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767907159
• ISBN-13: 978-0767907156
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #513,053 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surviving Cancer, November 1, 2001

By	Patrick J. Smid (Falls Church, VA United States) - See all my reviews

I needed this book and was very satisfied with its contents. Having recently been diagnosed with colon cancer and very disappointed with the limited conventional options recommended by my oncologist, I was looking for guidance in how to complement my chemotherapy treatments. To this end I have purchased and browsed through or read a couple dozen books on "how to survive cancer." Levine's book is the most practical and encouraging, the one I have used most faithfully. I am doing many of the things she suggests and feel that my recovering health is due to pursuing the combined mental/physical/spiritual approach that she advocates. Margie is the longest living survivor of a rare and aggressive cancer, demonstrating that her ideas can be very effective. What I like best in her book is, frankly, how easy it is to read. Cancer is confusing, to say the least, and I wanted straight forward information. Second, she makes it clear right up front that you need to be your own medical advocate, taking control of the direction in which your treatment goes and who you allow to treat you. Third, she encourages alternative and complementary treatment to conventional treatment and provides lots of ideas that she has had success with. Fourth, instead of "prescribing" her regimine for you, she encourages the reader to do what resonates with him or her and make their own regimine. She describes how what she did made her feel in a candid, confidential manner and I appreciated hearing of her pain and heartbreak, her joy and scuccess through her ordeal. This provided companionship to me as I experienced similar things. Throughout the book she encourages the reader to live life, not just fight cancer. This is good advice and Margie gave me the courage and "permission" (if you know what I mean) to think and act beyond being a cancer patient. Margie remained a person and encouraged people to interface with her as such. I too am remaining a person and enjoy being treated as such. I recommend this book to cancer patients and their families-- it will give you ideas that can improve the quality of your life now and complement conventional care that just may end up saving your life for many years to come. It is the best book I have found for surviving cancer.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I could not put this book down!, November 2, 2001

By	Gail McMeekin (Author of The Power of Positive Choices and The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I accidentally discovered this inspiring book and could not put it down. It is not only one woman's lifesaving testimony, it is truly a roadmap for finding rejuvenation in each day! As both a health education teacher and social worker, Margie offers a practical and integrated aproach toward self-healing which we can all learn from. In 1989, diagnosed with deadly asbestos cancer, Margie was given only 6 months to live. With sheer grit and determination, she persuaded Boston doctors to set up her own medical protocol which she then developed into her 41 steps to wellness. She is truly a role model for all of us. I truly enjoyed it and highly recommend it to all my clients and everyone I know. Chapters include: creating the best possible team of physicians and loved ones to help you to heal, maximizing nutrition using veggie dosing, using visualization to create your own affirmation tape, ridding your cells of harbored anger with a 6 point forgiveness program, building up endorphins by seeking joy, and using creative meditation techniques. I'm certainly now eating lots more brocolli!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A True Bible for Cancer Survival, December 28, 2002

By	Irene Sperling (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

Margie Levine's very personal and inspirational story offers hope along with pragmatic steps to empower one's self to take charge of their own medical challenge. I read this book because I have several friends who are dealing with their own struggles with cancer. After completing Margie's book, I felt it most certainly would give them a new perspective on coping and taking charge of their own situations. This is a terrific book and I highly recommend it.