You don’t have to go far to find someone that has been touched by breast cancer in one way or another. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and if anyone is out there struggling, below you can find some inspiring stories from others who have lived it.
Promise Me: How a Sister’s Love Launched the Global Movement to End Breast Cancer by Nancy G. Brinker
“Suzy and Nancy Goodman were more than sisters. They were best friends, confidantes, and partners in the grand adventure of life. For three decades, nothing could separate them. Not college, not marriage, not miles. Then Suzy got sick. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1977; three agonizing years later, at thirty-six, she died.“
This Is Only a Test: What Breast Cancer Taught Me about Faith, Love, Hair, and Business by Chris-Tia Donaldson
“CHRIS-TIA DONALDSON knows what it means to beat the odds. Going from the inner city of Detroit to the Ivy League to founding a successful hair care company and facing brutal trials like breast cancer along the way, she embodies the strength so many women in America aspire to have—and knows how the challenges women face can create remarkable perspective, calm, and understanding.“
Thanks for the Mammorgram!: Live through Breast Cancer with Faith, Hope, and Healthy Dose of Laughter by Laura Jensen Walker
“When Laura Jensen Walker was diagnosed with breast cancer on her first wedding anniversary, she found humor to be healing in the midst of terrifying circumstances. In this energetic and hope-filled book, she draws on her faith and her sense of humor to encourage others going through the same thing. From discovering that “bald is beautiful” to navigating the world of saline breast implants, Walker recounts the highs and lows of coping with cancer.“
Cancer Made Me a Shallower Person: A Memoir in Comics – A Cartoonist’s Irreverent and Humorous Examination of Breast Cancer Experience by Miriam Engelberg
“Miriam Engelberg was forty-three when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Like anyone faced with a life-altering personal trauma, she sought out a coping mechanism. While fellow patients championed the benefits of support groups and hypnotherapy, Engelberg found her greatest comfort in drawing, her lifelong passion.“
First, You Cry: An Inspiring Breast Cancer Memoir of Transformation and New Beginnings by Betty Rollin
“NBC News correspondent Betty Rollin, glamorous, successful, and happily married, had it all—and then she learned that she had a malignant tumor in her breast. Written with wit, warmth, and soul searching honesty, First, You Cry is the inspiring true story about how one woman transformed the most terrifying ordeal of her life into a new beginning.“
Twisting Fate: My Journey with BRCA – from Breast Cancer Doctor to Patient and Back by Pamela N. Munster
“From a woman who’s made her living researching breast cancer—and who lived through it herself—a personal yet practical guide to the medical and emotional facets of this life-changing diagnosis“
Dear Friend: Letters of Encouragement, Humor, and Love for Women with Breast Cancer by Gina L. Mulligan
“This beautiful collection of handwritten letters offers strength, encouragement, and comfort to women living with breast cancer. Written by compassionate strangers—many of whom have gone through their own health battles—these heartfelt letters were gathered by Girls Love Mail, an organization that provides support to people diagnosed with breast cancer as seen on NBC Nightly News.“
This Might Surprise You: A Breast Cancer Story by Hayley Gullen
“The storytelling and cartoons are perfectly paired to show the emotional ups and downs of living with cancer. This book is a companion for anyone facing treatment, helping them to feel less alone, as well as for their loved ones.“
From Both Sides of the Curtain: Lessons and Reflections from an Oncologist’s Personal Breast Cancer Journey by Sue Hwang, M.D.
“Dr. Hwang’s story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of vulnerability while offering practical advice for navigating the complex world of cancer care. With empathy and a touch of humor, Dr. Hwang navigates the emotional rollercoaster of facing the very disease she’s spent her career treating.“
Life Is Good: A memoir about living well through breast cancer treatment and recovery by Fiona Ferris
“You will laugh. You might even snort-laugh. You’ll feel uplifted. You’ll feel hopeful about the future. And you’ll have your curiosity answered – What is it really like to be diagnosed with cancer?“
Other selections for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Radical: The Science, Culture, and History of Breast Cancer in America by Kate Pickert
“The science, culture and history of breast cancer as told by a reporter who survived it“
Beyond the Pink: Navigating Life, Health, and Breast Cancer by Dr. Eleonora Teplinsky, M.D.
“Beyond the Pink educates and empowers you to be your own―and best―advocate. A breast cancer diagnosis is life-changing at any age, but it can be especially distressing when you are navigating diagnosis, treatment, and side effects while balancing work, relationships, parenting, fertility concerns, and more. In these moments, thoughtful, compassionate, and evidence-based support can make all the difference.“
Ten Questions to Ask My Doctor about My Breast Cancer by Steven Narod
“…addresses many of the pivotal decisions patients must navigate when they are newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Intended to orient those with breast cancer to the choices they will face as they meet with their health care providers, this book will help readers feel in control throughout their cancer journey.”
The Breast Cancer Survival Manual: A Step-by-Step Guide for Women with Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer by John Link, James Waisman & Nancy Link
“The seventh edition of The Breast Cancer Survival Manual provides essential updates on treatment and care, enhancing the basic information that has made this the most trusted guide for women diagnosed with breast cancer for the past two decades. This edition includes the most current advice“
Radical Sisters: Shirley Temple Black, Rose Kushner, Evelyn Lauder, and the Dawn of the Breast Cancer Movement by Judith L. Pearson
“There was a time when women’s health was marginalized. There was a time when October wasn’t pink. There was a time when breast cancer wasn’t discussed. But three women stepped forward, refusing to be silenced.“
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