Your Breast Cancer Treatment Handbook: Your Guide to Understanding the Disease, Treatments, Emotions and Recovery from Breast Cancer [Paperback]

Judy C. Kneece (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2001

Your Breast Cancer Treatment Handbook is the only book designed to be given to patients by their health care provider as a comprehensive guide to understanding treatment options and self-care. No treatment advice is given, allowing the treatment team to offer final recommendations. Instead, the patient is guided through the experience with graphically illustrated explanations of surgical options, treatments and self-care. A concise glossary empowers her to understand the language and participate in discussion about her care. Sixteen tear-out worksheets serve as a tutor for information collection. Reasuring remarks appearing throughout the book from survivors show that others have faced and met the challenge of breast cancer.

Your Breast Cancer Treatment Handbook takes a patient from diagnosis through recovery. Discussions include:

*the emotional impact and response of patients
*how to manage the fears of a diagnosis
*how to communicate with mate, children and family
*types of surgical and reconstruction options
*pre-and postoperative procedures and self-care
*understanding a pathology report
*chemotherapy, radiation therapy
*care of surgical arm, exercises and lymphedema
*breast self-exam after breast surgery
*how to determine normal versus clinical depression
*sexual issues
*diet and exercise
*sources of support, help and much more

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A clearly and warmly written guide to help women diagnosed with breast cancer through a very difficult time in their lives...Offers both emotional support and good advise, as well as clear explanations of scientific terms. I would recommend it to any woman going through this trying time." -- Allison Estabrook, MD, Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery, Chief of Breast Surgery, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York,NY

"Details, as well as broad principles, addressing the day to day questions and needs of a woman in breast cancer treatment and recovery, are discussed comprehensively and optimistically." -- Jenne A. Petrek, MD, Director of Surgical Program, Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NY

"It is the most comprehensive, thorough collection of topics relating to the breast cancer patient that I have ever come across. It delivers a clear message: A diagnosis of cancer is not a death sentence. There is life after cancer! This book is a must for those who receive this diagnosis." -- Marianna Maldonado, MD, Psychiatrist, Private Practice, Survivor

"Judy Kneece's empathic voice runs through Your Breast Cancer Treatment Handbook explaining treatment decisions, step by step, once breast cancer has been diagnosed. The book addresses relevant issues in short, easily absorbed chapters, with checklists, memory lists, questions to ask of medical specialists, and advantages and disadvantages of various treatment options...Kneece leads the reader through the gamut of possible feelings that a newly diagnosed woman might have helping her to see that her shock, anxiety, anger, and depression are all normal reactions...I am always surpised at how much information she packs into brief discussions. This would be a great book for doctors to give their patients." -- Merle O'Rourke Thompson,Ph.D.,Survivor, Journal of The National Cancer Institute, Reviewer

"This is the most complete reference for breast cancer patients that I have ever read. It covers every aspect from diagnosis to recovery; most importantly, it addresses the fears and anxieties of all patients. Facts are presented with hope. It fills a great void and will empower patients to be better informed and more in control. I wholeheartedly support this publication and plan to use it in my practice." -- Rosemary Lambert-Falls, MD, Medical Oncologist

From the Author

Featured on the cover of Cope, Working in Oncology magazine, Judy says, "Empowering patients with an understanding of their disease, treatment options and providing tools for recovery management are essential for complete recovery. Breast cancer is more than scars on the breast; it also scars the heart. We must address the psychological and social issues breast cancer brings if a woman is to master the disease. An understanding of her disease and personal management skills empowers a woman to become an active partner in recovery with her health care team and not a passive participant. She must know the advantages and disadvantages of treatment options and the questions she needs to ask about her care. Getting well is more than surgery and treatments, it is a woman understanding the vital role she can play in managing her own recovery."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 188 pages
• Publisher: Edu Care Inc; 4th Revised edition (2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1886665109
• ISBN-13: 978-1886665101
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,126,247 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Judy C. Kneece is the president of EduCare and a certified oncology nurse with a specialty in breast cancer. She was working as an acute care oncology nurse when she first observed the multitude of challenges faced by breast cancer patients. In 1991, inspired by these patients' courage and spirit, and her personal experience with a family member battling breast cancer, Judy made the decision to devote her life to changing the way healthcare is provided to breast cancer patients.

Shortly after making her decision, Judy was given the opportunity to start a program of support for breast cancer patients in her hospital. She saw that a breast cancer diagnosis was more than a medical challenge for a patient-it also presented social and personal challenges that were rarely addressed, and which could significantly impede a patient's recovery. Knowing that women needed more than medical treatment to arrive at recovery emotionally intact, Judy developed a program that addressed patients' emotional and social issues, in addition to providing medical education and navigation of the patient throughout the continuum of care.

After gaining national attention for her program's success with patients and administrators, Judy wanted to help other facilities develop their own program. In 1994, with a passion in her heart and a small inheritance used for start-up funds, Judy began EduCare Inc. as a breast health training and publishing company. Over the past fifteen years, EduCare has been a pioneer in developing patient education, educational materials and healthcare professional training. Judy continues to be an advocate for change in breast care, knowing that her voice echoes the pleas of thousands of women and men diagnosed yearly for improved education and support.

Since 1994, more than 2,000 nurses have completed the EduCare Breast Health Navigator course preparing them to educate, support, and successfully navigate patients and training them to implement interdisciplinary care conferences for physicians in their facility.

Because comprehensive breast health centers and patient navigation were new concepts, Judy began teaching national Strategic Planning workshops for breast center administrators. Her complete "how-to" center guide has allowed more than 500 hospitals to implement comprehensive breast programs incorporating the nurse for patient navigation and to start interdisciplinary care patient conferences.

To understand the real needs of patients, Judy conducted national focus groups allowing patients to share their experiences. The information gleaned from the groups helped advance the development of materials and services to better serve patients with recurrence and sexuality issues after chemotherapy. The first focus groups, held in 9 facilities nationwide during 2000, were on recurrent breast cancer. In 2001, they were followed by groups in 11 facilities nationwide that focused on sexuality after chemotherapy. The survey data has been shared with other organizations to help them improve services.

EduCare has developed the COPE Library: Breast Health Edition, which consists of over 400 topics, allowing nurses and doctors to deliver symptom-specific education efficiently. Each topic is customized with the facility's name and contact information and can be printed on-demand from the healthcare provider's own computer.

Professionally, Judy has published five books, The Breast Cancer Treatment Handbook (7th Edition), Breast Cancer Support Partner Handbook (7th Edition), Finding A Lump in Your Breast, Solving The Mystery of Breast Pain and Solving The Mystery of Breast Discharge. Training manuals include The Breast Health Navigator Manual, The Comprehensive Breast Center Strategic Planning Manual and Breast Center Design.

EduCare continues to have their hand on the pulse of patients and navigators, sensing their needs and developing tools to meet the ever changing challenges of breast health care delivery. All educational materials are kept up-to-date and cover current treatment issues. The products are designed to be educational and do not offer treatment advice, only explanations allowing allowing the healthcare provider to be the guiding force in care delivery.

Judy has published over 40 articles in national publications about patient-focused care, breast cancer navigation, survivorship and comprehensive breast center development. She served as Administrative Radiology Journal Breast Health Editor during 1995-1996. She also served as secretary and was on the Advisory Board for the National Consortium of Breast Centers. She presently serves on the American College of Surgeons' National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) on the Education Committee and on the Advisory Board for the national Clinical Breast Care Project for Windber/Walter Reed Medical Center.

In May of 2007, Judy was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Charleston Southern University for her outstanding work and contributions to improve cancer care delivery.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars By far the BEST book available for Breast Cancer Patients, October 20, 2000

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Your Breast Cancer Treatment Handbook: Your Guide to Understanding the Disease, Treatments, Emotions and Recovery from Breast Cancer (Paperback)

Your Breast Cancer Treatment Handbook was given to me at a cancer support group this past week. I laughed & I cried reading through this! I wish this had been given to me 6 years ago when I was diagnosed the 1st time with breast cancer at age 33 (lumpectomy, chemo & radition). Here I am again at 39 just having had a mastectomy & reconstruction surgery. This is by far the best source of information I have seen! This book should be available to ALL breast cancer patients. Very easy to read, understand & comprehend. Sincerely, Judith Oak-Watson A very proud "perky" breast cancer survivor

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best books i have read, April 17, 2000

By 

Cathy Cannon (Moore, South CArolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Your Breast Cancer Treatment Handbook: Your Guide to Understanding the Disease, Treatments, Emotions and Recovery from Breast Cancer (Paperback)

I was given this book when I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer--it is beautifully written, lots of positive comments from cancer survivors--I had to read it in "pieces"--I could only read as much as my heart would allow regarding treatment. I have read it all now. It is a great source to turn to for each step of the process. I am beginning chemotherapy next week--it has been a tremendous help with "what's next?" and how I will feel. Lists of questions for your surgeon and oncologist are extremely helpful.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Resource, April 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Your Breast Cancer Treatment Handbook: Your Guide to Understanding the Disease, Treatments, Emotions and Recovery from Breast Cancer (Paperback)

I am currently being treated for breast cancer, and this book has been one of my most useful tools in making intelligent, well informed choices. It's hard to ask the right questions when something this scary comes along. Judy has included some of the best. I reccomemd it to everyone from the first diagnosis, through that final treatment.