How to Laugh (and Cry) Through Breast Cancer
By Ruth Ebenstein
This book’s optimistic premise spells out a robust message: You can get through this. There will be tears, "why-did-this-happen-to-me"s, and even some unexpected laughs along the way. But the bottom line is that you are going to make it—and thrive.
This empowering take-home lesson for the breast cancer patient and for her loved ones is woven through the pages of this uplifting and witty memoir. Award-winning journalist and writer Ruth Ebenstein relays her journey through “breastcancerland” with candor and mirth, beginning with a diagnosis at age 42 while nursing her baby on what turned out to be her cancerous left breast.
Mindful of the fact that the body heals faster than the psyche, the author struggles to find her signature way of coping with cancer. And for Ruth, that method is knowledge-equals-control. Drawing on raw emotion, she writes with insight and intimacy about surgery and recovery, radiation, genetic testing, and medical menopause (induced by breast-cancer medicines). She also shares how she navigates the concomitant emotional rollercoaster with the help of her family and friends, dance therapist, and support groups. Not only about cancer, this penetrating account celebrates life, prompting the reader to explore how tackling adversity helps us understand who we are in the world, what we hope to accomplish, and how we affect the people closest to us. Ruth’s story of courage and humor is the perfect gift for anyone in treatment for breast cancer.
This empowering take-home lesson for the breast cancer patient and for her loved ones is woven through the pages of this uplifting and witty memoir. Award-winning journalist and writer Ruth Ebenstein relays her journey through “breastcancerland” with candor and mirth, beginning with a diagnosis at age 42 while nursing her baby on what turned out to be her cancerous left breast.
Mindful of the fact that the body heals faster than the psyche, the author struggles to find her signature way of coping with cancer. And for Ruth, that method is knowledge-equals-control. Drawing on raw emotion, she writes with insight and intimacy about surgery and recovery, radiation, genetic testing, and medical menopause (induced by breast-cancer medicines). She also shares how she navigates the concomitant emotional rollercoaster with the help of her family and friends, dance therapist, and support groups. Not only about cancer, this penetrating account celebrates life, prompting the reader to explore how tackling adversity helps us understand who we are in the world, what we hope to accomplish, and how we affect the people closest to us. Ruth’s story of courage and humor is the perfect gift for anyone in treatment for breast cancer.
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About the author
Ruth Ebenstein is a journalist and writer. She has worked for The Chicago Tribune, the Associated Press, The Virginian-Pilot & Ledger-Star, The Jerusalem Report, The Jerusalem Post, and other publications. In 2004 Ruth won the American Jewish Press Association's First Prize for Excellence in personality profiles for a cover story she wrote for Bnai Brith Magazine on President of the Israeli Supreme Court Justice Aharon Barak. A native of Southfield, Michigan, she graduated from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and completed an M.A. in German history with honors from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Ruth has also written a children’s book entitled “All of this Country is Called Jerusalem”. She lives with her husband, three sons, and two stepdaughters in Jerusalem, Israel. |
Photo Credit: Darryl Pitt, One Flower At A Time
