This Is Cancer ─ Everything You Need to Know, from the Waiting Room to the Bedroom

Cancer is indiscriminate. It cares little for class, creed or color. Its patients are literally everywhere. When Laura Holmes Haddad was diagnosed, she discovered shelf upon shelf of overly-earnest, somber, gray survival books, and knew there had to be a better way. This Is Cancer is the thoughtful, informative fabulous-looking result for those who prefer their pathos with equal parts humor and reality and a touch of flair. A what to expect when you’re expecting” book for the diagnosis you don’t want but are stuck with, This Is Cancer is the book that patients keep in their heading to the hospital bag,” because it’s the only one that tells them what’s going onand keeps them company.

Including such useful snippets as:

There is no limit to what you will put yourself through when told it might save your life.
Stay away from the Internet. And don’t let anyone tell you what they looked up” about your diagnosis.
You’ll be surrounded by people but you’ll feel lonely, and alone, sometimes.
Lexapro is Tylenol for the soul.
If you don’t like your doctor(s), find new ones. You will feel somewhat at the mercy of them, like they hold the key to your mortality, but in fact more than one doctor can potentially save you and some are nice and some are mean.

Whether you or your loved ones want a primer full of useful information in an easy to reference format or a friendly and comforting read, the honest, grave, and mordantly funny stories and tips from young survivors will bring you the real intel and advice that you need most during this tremendously difficult time.

Laura Holmes Haddad received her BA from Smith College in Northampton, MA, where she majored in comparative government. Laura spent one year studying international politics at the London School of Economics before enrolling in the chef’s program at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, CA (and received an AA degree). After working as a caterer in Northern California, Laura moved to New York City and became an assistant cookbook editor at Simon & Schuster. Five years later Laura returned to her home state of California and pursued a freelance writing and editing career.

Laura is the author of Anything But Chardonnay: A Guide to the Other Grapes and co-author ofPure Flavor: 125 Fresh, All-American Recipes from the Pacific Northwest, Lulu Powers, Food to Flowers: Simple, Stylish Food for Easy Entertaining, Anna Getty’s Easy Green Organic, andI’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas. After a three-year battle with breast cancer, Laura began writing about cancer and speaking about patient advocacy.

When she’s not writing, Laura can be found hiking, paddle boarding, reading, cooking, or swinging on a rope swing with her kids. Laura currently resides in Northern California with her husband, daughter, son, and a Dalmatian.