B.O.O.B.S: A Bunch of Outrageous Breast Cancer Survivors Tell Their Stories of Courage, Hope, and Healing (Hardcover)

~ (Author, Compiler, Editor)
Key Phrases: stereotactic core biopsy, last chemo treatment, bilateral mastectomy, The Wellness Community, Sheryl Siegel, Beth Butler (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

England, Spain, Portugal, Russia, Denmark, Sweden--doesn't sound like the itinerary of a cancer "victim," does it? But Lorna Goldstein, one of the 10 breast cancer survivors whose stories appear here, has been to all those places recently, traveling with her globe-trotting husband just as she did in years past. And, diagnosed with metastatic, recurring breast cancer, followed by unrelated uterine cancer, she has had bouts with cancer three times, twice within six months. "Have cancer, will travel" summarizes her upbeat, can-do attitude. Despite the rigors of testing, biopsies, diagnoses, treatments, pain, medication, surgeries, anxieties, hospital stays, nausea, and more, she enjoys health, energy, and a pain-free life that includes painting and piano playing. Neither Goldstein nor any of the other contributors, whose ages span 25 years and whose stages of cancer range from 0 to 4, minimizes the harsh realities, and all bring admirable strength of spirit to bear on their situation, which more than 200,000 additional American women face each year. Whitney Scott
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Product Description

They are not just statistics or case studies, nor are they "genetic mishaps." They are everyday modern women struggling to survive breast cancer. They share the same diagnosis but are a crazy-quilt of many patterns and colors, with ages spanning twenty-five years. Some of them are wives and mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers; some are single, some are divorced. They have different religious backgrounds, different occupations, different lifestyles, different values, and different treatments. But despite their differences, they all are B.O.O.B.S.

B.O.O.B.S. shares the personal experiences of ten courageous women—from shocking diagnosis to surgery and beyond—and the effect breast cancer has had on them and on the people in their lives. Brought together by the Wellness Community, a program offering cost-free psychological support to cancer patients and their loved ones, the ten women in this book strongly believe in the healing power of group therapy and peer sharing. Some of them have even become patient advocates and spokeswomen in a quest to make a difference in the lives of other women coping with breast cancer, a disease that strikes more than 200,000 women every year in the United States.

Written with insight, humor, raw emotion, and honesty, B.O.O.B.S. offers hope to women facing breast cancer. It also offers families and friends insights into what their loved ones are going through. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Cumberland House Publishing (April 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581823851
• ISBN-13: 978-1581823851
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,050,693 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Uplifting, Supportive, August 26, 2004

By	Martha - See all my reviews

A must read for anyone who has to travel this road. We all need to know we are not the only one who has had these feelings or experiences. I found it comforting and informative at a critical time in my life.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!!, July 29, 2005

By	Robyn Newberry "Robyn" (Toledo, Ohio) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a daughter of a breast cancer survivor and having three aunts who have had breast cancer I highly recommened this book. We have passed the book between us it has helped us understand what these brave women were going thru!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but disappointing..., November 14, 2008

By	J. Manly "healthychoices" (Honolulu, HI United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: B.O.O.B.S.: A Bunch of Outrageous Breast-Cancer Survivors Tell Their Stories of Courage, Hope and Healing (Paperback)

With four reviewers rating this as a 5 star book, I expected more diversity than this book contains. All 10 women were drawn from the same wellness group associated with an Alabama treatment center, though not all were lifelong residents of the area. Most were evangelical Christians. All appeared to be from middle class backgrounds. If you fit into this group, you will probably relate well to the stories. If not, you may want to look for a more diverse compilation. My suggestion would be Uplift : Secrets from the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors which draws from 300 participants and which provides shorter, solution-focused entries.