Soft-Tissue-Sarcoma Books

I cannot overstate how helpful this book was to me. My daughter was diagnosed with Wilms (kidney) cancer 14 months ago. This book was given to me several days after her initial diagnosis and I turned to it many, many times over the long journey to recovery. Even today, with my daughter happily in remission, I turn to it for help in dealing with late side effects and the emotional consequences of the rollercoaster that is childhood cancer. Of all the books I have read over the past 14 months (and there have been many - I'm an avid reader), this one was absolutely the best. If I could, I would buy up all the copies and give it to every parent of a child with a solid tumor.

I am a Pediatric Oncology Nurse that buys these books to give to the newly diagnosised families. All of them have told me that it is a wonderful tool.

If you have found yourself catapulted into the nightmare of having a child with cancer, this book will help you to understand much of the journey to come. No matter what stage your child is in treatment...beginning, middle, finished treatment, relapsed, or palliative...this book is an indispensible resource. Personal stories peppered throughout the book help you come to realize that you are not alone in this battle. This book also has a wonderful list of resources to help families through this hard time. Buy one for yourself, family members (especially in-laws!), your child's pediatrician, your child's teacher, and your closest friends so they can have a glimpse into what you and your child are facing and can help you along the way. This book should be given to EVERY parent when they hear those horrible words, "Your child has cancer..."

This book was recommended to me after my daughter was diagnosed with nueroblastoma. It explains it all. The book is broken down by topic (ie radiation and chemotherepy) and also by tumor.
The language used was easy to understand. The book was my map through the world of childhood cancer.

Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation fully endorses this book and places it on the 'must have resource list' for any parent whose child is diagnosed with any type of solid tumor cancer. This comprehensive guide provides extensive information on the diagnosis, prognosis, procedures, treatment and side effects of neuroblastoma, Wilms Tumor, retinoblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma and bone sarcomas. Included is a thorough explanation of the various chemotherapy drugs used in treatment and their common side effects. Detailed information on radiation therapy, surgery and bone marrow transplantation is also included. Additionally, the book provides practical advice to families on related issues such as nutrition, returning to school and the end of treatment. The book addresses the emotional impact that such a cancer diagnosis places upon the child, their family and friends and offers practical insight on how to cope. A comprehensive list of childhood cancer websites, support organizations and additional reading materials is listed at the back of the book. The authors'extensive interviewing of families who have 'walked down this road' offers hope to those whose 'journey' has just begun.

The last thing anyone needs is a dry, textbook account of what it's like to face the big "C". People who have recently been diagnosed (or are undergoing treatment) are hungry for answers and hope, commodoties that are all too often elusive in today's cyber-saturated culture. Fortunatly, Jim Chastain decided to write a book.

Much like the 1966 movie "The Fantastic Voyage" - in which a submarine is shrunk and injected into another human body - Chastain's poignant and unflinchingly honest account of his battle with cancer takes the reader inside his world with astounding grace and ease. Each chapter is a story in itself, offering just the right mixture of confession, contemplation, and hilarity. In it you'll hear of the gut-wrenching decisions he faced, the fear that often dogged him, and evidence of a hell of a lot of courage. But perhaps the greatest beauty of this delightful little book is the over-arching canopy of humor that enfolds it. My coworker - who is also a two-time cancer survivor - laughed until he literally cried while reading a section I put in front of him.

Who was it who said that if we don't laugh, we'll cry? Chastain does some of both in this must-read book for anyone who cares about the plague of cancer in our society. Fortunately I've never had the disease, but found this book immensely helpful in understanding the plight of those who do. And as crazy as this may sound, I thoroughly enjoyed reading a book that essentially offers a front row seat to the hardest thing this man has ever faced. Guess that's some of what grace and redemption are all about.

A MUST READ for anyone who's either experiencing cancer themselves or has a loved one who is. This book is enlightening to a patient, a care giver, family member, or friend.

I gave a copy to a dear friend who is currently undergoing treatment for lung cancer. I am absolutely sure this book will bring a chuckle, or two, or three, or four, etc.

It was THIS BOOK that EMPOWERED me to visit her and her husband (besides, I had a copy of this book to deliver!). We went ... to deliver the book (well, and maybe give a little moral support.) Subsequently, I have ordered another copy for my library. This book is filled with hope, humor, and inspiration.

I've also forwarded my recommendation as a "must read" to our Employee Assistant Professional at work.

A truly talented writer who deserves a standing ovation!
May his humor help you and yours through difficult times.

Jim Chastain's humor doesn't stop at the title of the readable, unsentimental, and personal account of what must have been a harrowing experience. I read it almost all in one sitting, and it held my attention throughout. Chastain isn't afraid to say he cried, or that certain body functions reacted to cancer treatment in absurd and hilarious ways. The book captures both the humor and the pathos of his experience, but most of all, it serves as a reminder that talking about cancer or any other life-threatening disease should not be taboo, and that the person does not become the disease.

"I Survived Cancer but Never Won the Tour de France" is author Jim Chastain's personal, funny, poignant, and enlightening; memoir offering a unique, entertaining and informative memoir of living with cancer and dealing with all of its seeming contradictions. Completely candid, illustrative stories of the emotional battles that every cancer patient and their loved ones must go through (including, in Jim's case, multiple cancer surgeries that included the amputation of an arm), "I Survived Cancer but Never Won the Tour de France" is ultimately encouraging in its story of a young man seeking to hold on to his dreams, his marriage, fatherhood, and personal spirituality throughout the life-altering ordeal that inevitable is a part of any cancer diagnosis. Highly recommended reading - especially for patients and their families who are having to copy with the diagnoses and treatment of cancer.

Really minimal info here. You are better off just reading DeVita for med onc purposes.