Having cancer is one of the scariest things in the world. But you're not alone. As this cancer survivor shares her own experiences, you'll learn a lot-and you'll even laugh out loud! In Talk Cancer to Me, author Jessica Lynne DeCristofaro confesses the initial terror at her unexplained symptoms, the mounting stress as none out of myriad different specialists could help her. Finally, after landing in urgent care, she is officially diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, an aggressive type of cancer. But she's determined to beat it. Always one to look on the bright side, DeCristofaro seeks out laughter as she faces a terrible situation. While buoyantly recounting parties in the ICU and flirting with cute doctors, she also openly details some of the physical and emotional challenges cancer patients experience. DeCristofaro provides definitions doctors may gloss over and practical tips for fellow patients as they step through their own treatment process. The positivity and optimism of DeCristofaro's outlook and her often irreverent approach shines through in her writing, serving as an inspiration. From wig shopping to the best diet when undergoing radiation therapy, DeCristofaro's advice and experiences will help replace fear and uncertainty with hope and clarity. The majority of the proceeds of this book will go to cancer research.

This activity book, written by the founder of The Children's Treehouse Foundation, is designed to help children cope with the news that their parents or grandparents have cancer. The diary provides age-appropriate explanations and allows kids to express their feelings through drawing, coloring, pasting, and writing.

Learning that his mother has cancer, a little boy becomes frightened then works through his fear with the help of both parents.

They Never Want to Tell You transcends the negative metaphors and clichés of life-threatening disease, to give voice to the culture of cancer and to the behavior and attitudes of those who function within that culture-as patients, medical professionals, family, and friends. In these extraordinary narratives, children coping with cancer reveal their most personal experiences, and they speak with a candor that breaks through the cultural taboos ostensibly designed to protect us from the disease. The rich, compassionate, and honest words of these children give expression to concerns that adults who are struggling with cancer find nearly impossible to articulate. Free of social conventions and cognitive distortions, each story presents a powerful variation on the theme of survival in the face of the continuing uncertainties of life-threatening disease. Bearison, a developmental psychologist and psychotherapist, is keenly aware of the psychological impact of cancer on children, particularly as survival times for childhood cancers lengthen and complex treatments intensify concern about the emotional-not merely physical-well-being of children. Bearison has culled from scores of interviews the most salient moments that represent these individual children in their shared struggle with disease. In these pages the children express their wildest hopes and worst fears about cancer. They speak of the absolute necessity of full disclosure, the problems of relating to friends and family, the difficult adjustment to hair loss, their feelings of punishment, grief, and spirituality, and many other issues. In the course of these stories the children reveal not only their will to survive and their extraordinary capacity to understand themselves and their condition, but their altruistic desire to share that understanding with other children as well as with adults who have cancer. "They Never Want to Tell You" is rich and rewarding reading for cancer patients, their families, and health-care professionals alike.

With humor and empathy, Dana Brantley-Sieders explores the science and realities of breast cancer for the love of your boobs and your life. Dana Brantley-Sieders spent twenty years working as a biomedical breast cancer researcher. Then, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She thought she knew breast cancer before it whacked her upside her left boob and left her bleeding on the curb of uncertainty. Turns out, she had a lot to learn. This book shares Brantley-Sieders’ personal journey with breast cancer, from the laboratory bench to her own bedside, and provides accessible information about breast cancer biology for non-scientists. Talking to My Tatas: All You Need to Know from a Breast Cancer Researcher and Survivor, offers accurate, evidence-based science that is accessible to all readers, including the more than three hundred thousand individuals diagnosed with breast cancer every year, their caregivers, and their loved ones. Knowledge is power, and lack of it can lead to overtreatment, unnecessary pain and suffering, and even death. By demystifying the process from mammograms, biopsies, pathology, and diagnostics, to surgical options, tumor genomic testing, and new treatment options, Brantley-Sieders aims to arm breast cancer patients with the tools they need to battle this disease with a healthy dose of humor, grace, and hope.

The demand for health information continues to increase, but the ability of health professionals to provide it clearly remains variable. The aim of this book is (1) to summarize and synthesize research on the selection and presentation of data pertinent to public health, and (2) to provide practical suggestions, based on this research summary and synthesis, on how scientists and other public health practitioners can better communicate data to the public, policy makers, and the press in typical real-world situations. Because communication is complex and no one approach works for all audiences, the authors emphasize how to communicate data "better" (and in some instances, contrast this with how to communicate data "worse"), rather than attempting a cookbook approach. The book contains a wealth of case studies and other examples to illustrate major points, and actual situations whenever possible. Key principles and recommendations are summarized at the end of each chapter. This book will stimulate interest among public health practitioners, scholars, and students to more seriously consider ways they can understand and improve communication about data and other types of scientific information with the public, policy makers, and the press. Improved data communication will increase the chances that evidence-based scientific findings can play a greater role in improving the public's health.

Discusses key principles relative to specific steps in health communications program development, and includes examples of their use. Covers: planning and strategy selection, selecting channels and materials, developing materials and pretesting (pretesting -- what it can and cannot do, pretesting methods, plan and conduct pretests), implementing your program, assessing effectiveness, feedback to refine program and more. Each chapter includes a 3selected readings2 section. Includes: information sources, sample forms, glossary, bibliography, etc. Photos and drawings.