Grief Illness

On April 24, 1996, Becky Olson was diagnosed with breast cancer. Suddenly, the 43-year-old mother of five and highly successful businesswoman now stood at the crossroads between life and death. Surviving arduous treatments and physical, mental, and emotional turmoil, Becky used the only weapon she had - her hat - to win the battle against the uninvited and overwhelming foe.

So many lives are touched by cancer. Nearly everyone experiencing the journey called cancer has a partner, spouse, or loved one there beside the,m experiencing the journey in their own unique way. Yet the caregiver's stories are not often told. They need to be told.

What if the dreaded world of Alzheimer's was also a world of emotional discovery? Eugenia Zukerman's poetry and simple prose, both heartbreaking and ultimately inspirational, ushers the listener into her world as she unflinchingly examines familial loyalties, moments from her past and present, and the need to face an uncertain future due to the diagnosis of a condition that she truly hopes "will remain unnamed."

Sometimes, we need a reminder to help us keep a tight hold on this hope that we have in the promises of Christ, in spite of the suffering that is happening all around us, which, at times, closely touches even our families in this present world. Birthed from the desire to encourage a family member who was in stage four of a battle with cancer; and then, directly behind that, facing the unexpected death of a parent, Jodi L. Serino-Barbour reaches into the core of fear and pain to plant seeds of hope for the future.

You and Me and Cancer Makes Three is a poetical journey about survival from cancer. An uplifting and enduring tale of his journey with cancer. John held his hands around his own mortality, yet leaves the clinic whole, with much more than he ever expected: he discovers the true meaning of friendship, redemption, and hope as told in his poetry.