Reviews

#5 in Library Journal's list of Best Consumer Health Books of 2000

"Keene, the mother of a leukemia survivor, and nurse practitioners specializing in pediatric oncology here explain the long-term challenges that patients will face. They discuss issues such as growth problems, fertility, discrimination in the workplace and in obtaining insurance, and the emotional aspects of surviving cancer. This is a very useful book for both survivors and their families."
– Library Journal

"This extraordinary book speaks to all ages as it describes the world of childhood cancer and provides information vitally needed by survivors, families, and medical teams. In an easy-to-read and well-organized format, the book is packed with facts about the emotional upheavals and drastic changes in both mental and physical health of young patients during treatment and long after the cancer has been cured."
– Surviving: A Cancer Patient Magazine, Stanford Hospital and Clinics

"Navigating our current health care system in the hope of optimizing one's health requires an educated and empowered survivor. This book will fill a critical educational gap by providing childhood cancer survivors practical and up-to-date information regarding their cancer and treatment. Perhaps of equal value are the many poignant vignettes that describe the trials and victories of the cancer experience. I consider this book a "must read" for the survivors followed in our long-term follow-up program."
– Kevin C. Oeffinger, M.D.
Director,
After the Cancer Experience (ACE) Young Adult Program
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas

"This book is a survivor's dream! There's plenty of accurate and understandable 'technical' info, but there's plenty of heart as well, which is precisely what we haven't had in resources for us to date."
– Kimbra Wilder Gish, Hodgkin's survivor and biomedical librarian

Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Practical Guide to the Future" offers just that - practical information, painstakingly gathered and organized in such a way as to make this an exceptional resource for survivors, parents, professionals, and anyone involved in the care and lives of survivors of childhood cancer. This book will serve as a tool to benefit survivors for years to come, helping to predict, navigate, and overcome many of the obstacles that too often lie along their path. Information is offered in a straight-forward manner which not only respects the needs and rights of survivors to know the facts about potential problems, but provides them with knowledge they can use to be actively involved in their own health and well-being."
– Ralph C. Richardson, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist, KidS COUNT Program Coordinator
School and Social Reintegration Program Director
Childrens Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases
Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

"This is a wonderful resource for childhood cancer survivors-a complete, concise guide to potential health problems that can occur following treatment for cancer in childhood. With information comes power, and with the information in this book, childhood cancer survivors will be empowered to take an active role in their life-long medical follow-up. In some cases, this information could be life-saving!"
– Wendy Landier, R.N., MSN, CPNP, CPON
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Long Term Follow-Up Clinic for Survivors of Childhood Cancer
City of Hope National Medical Center

"This is a vitally important book for anyone who has had cancer or been touched by cancer in a child, spouse, parent, sibling, loved one, or friend. That's just about everyone. Many of these people may feel that, once treatment has ended, especially after the magic five years have passed without incident, it is non-productive to think about the cancer anymore. Dwelling on one's past is, of course, going too far, especially if it prevents one from moving on to the many adventures awaiting him or her. And a parent's efforts, however well intended, to keep a child forever cognizant of the past cancer can make that child unnecessarily fearful. But if knowledge is power then ignorance is just plain dumb and can even be harmful. This book treads a fine middle ground advocating education, providing all the potential late effects, some which have a strong probability of appearing and many which have very little probability of occurring, and, most important, encouraging those affected to advocate for themselves and to educate others, especially their doctors."
– Kathryn, mother of Casey, 7-year survivor of osteogenic sarcoma

"This book is an extraordinary resource for survivors of childhood cancer, as well as for their families, caregivers, and friends. It provides clear answers to the important medical, psychosocial, and financial questions that young survivors raise during and after cancer treatment."
– Barbara Hoffman, J.D. Editor, A Cancer Survivor's Almanac: Charting Your Journey

"This book is a must for any parent or adult survivor of childhood cancer who is seeking to understand real and potential late effects of cancer therapy - both physical and psychosocial. It is also a valuable resource for health care professionals involved in pediatric oncology. The chapters about specific childhood cancers and body systems affected by therapy are very comprehensive and detailed. The chapters dedicated to survivorship, relationships, and emotions capture the positives and negatives of the double-edged sword of survivorship. The many personal quotes interspersed throughout the book provide a personal link to which most, and possibly, all families affected by childhood cancer can relate. After reading this book, there can be no question about the necessity of specialized long-term follow-up for survivors. The practical chapters on insurance and follow-up describe how to best obtain this care."
– Mary Nelson, MS, RN, CPNP
Nurse Practitioner, LIFE Program
Childrens Center for Cancer and Blood
Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

"This book is sorely needed by survivors of childhood cancer. It is informative, concise, and yet personal with the liberal use of quotes. Breaking information down by disease and body system makes it easy to find pertinent information. Best of all, not only does the book talk about late effects-it tells the survivor what to look for, how to look for it, and how to find help. Survivors will now have a valuable tool at their disposal."
– Missy Layfield
Physical therapist
Mother of a leukemia survivor

"There is compelling evidence in the scientific literature to support continued follow-up for childhood cancer survivors. If all survivors were followed in a comprehensive late effects clinic, this book might not be necessary. However, we are a mobile society with variable medical care and insurance practices. Ensuring that survivors themselves understand the late effects associated with their individual therapy is probably the most important means to obtain compliance with follow-up. Providing survivors with information necessary to monitor for late effects of therapy allows them to advocate for their own health care. This book will prove to be an important resource for survivors as they navigate various health care systems."
– Cindy Proukou
Nursing Coordinator, Long-term Survivors Clinic
Children's Hospital at Strong
University of Rochester Medical Center

"I think that this book is terrific. It is clear, direct, and contains valuable information and advice. It will surely be an excellent resource for survivors and their families. I will certainly recommend it to patients that I see."
– Mary Rourke, Ph.D.
Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia

"There is a paucity of guides for both health care providers and patients that address the special issues of childhood cancer survivors. This important book was written to fill this void and empower survivors. The topics in the beginning of the book range from relationships with families and friends to discrimination at jobs to health insurance issues. Subsequent sections deal with specific childhood cancers and long term health effects from cancer treatments and recommended follow up tests. Each organ system is addressed with a discussion of the possible late effects, their detection, and management. Throughout the book, stories of childhood cancer survivors personalize the text. Childhood Cancer Survivors contains a wealth of important information that will benefit survivors for years after their treatment of cancer. It also contains a listing of service organizations, books, and online resources. It is clearly a 'must have' reference for both healthcare professionals and childhood cancer survivors. OncoLink gives this book its highest recommendation."
– Oncolink
University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center