Review of First Survivor
Posted: 12 Jul 2024, 17:48
[Following is a volunteer review of "First Survivor" by Mark Unger.]
First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough by Mark Unger tells the story and documents the emotional journey of a three-year-old boy who developed a rare form of cancer called neuroblastoma and the changes the family had to go through. It all started towards the end of August 2001 when the mum, Mary Ellen, noticed that her son was walking strangely and even though he wasn’t always the talkative type, he had become quieter than usual. She took him to a paediatrician, who referred them to a pediatric orthopedist at Yale School of Medicine. He was initially diagnosed with Perthes disease, but in the months that followed, this family was devastated and had to go through significant changes as his health deteriorated and a new diagnosis was made.
One significant lesson I learned from reading this book is the power of advocacy and hope, even when the situation seems too terrible. Mark and his wife, Mary Ellen, did not give up hope that their son would get better; they were relentless and did research for treatments and medication and asked questions every step of the way, which led them to take action when a groundbreaking experimental treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center offered a glimpse of hope. These made so much difference to Louis‘ recovery.
I am particularly taken by Louis‘ older brother, Harry; while not completely understanding what was going on with his brother, the changes around the house, and why his brother was getting more attention than he was, he was so supportive of his little brother.
As an emotional person who would cry through movies describing suffering or pain, I was reluctant to read this book. I bawled my eyes out so many times while reading it, but I can promise you that despite the sobbing and crying, I really enjoyed it, and you would, too. I like how they documented Louis‘ progress and growth using photographs. It made the story even more relatable and was quite beautiful.
I recommend this book to families facing medical challenges and those looking for a story of hope and the power of love. I also recommend it to people who love emotional books and health care professionals, as they can learn something from this story. I’m rating it five out of five stars because I loved everything about it, and it was well-written and professionally edited.
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First Survivor
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough by Mark Unger tells the story and documents the emotional journey of a three-year-old boy who developed a rare form of cancer called neuroblastoma and the changes the family had to go through. It all started towards the end of August 2001 when the mum, Mary Ellen, noticed that her son was walking strangely and even though he wasn’t always the talkative type, he had become quieter than usual. She took him to a paediatrician, who referred them to a pediatric orthopedist at Yale School of Medicine. He was initially diagnosed with Perthes disease, but in the months that followed, this family was devastated and had to go through significant changes as his health deteriorated and a new diagnosis was made.
One significant lesson I learned from reading this book is the power of advocacy and hope, even when the situation seems too terrible. Mark and his wife, Mary Ellen, did not give up hope that their son would get better; they were relentless and did research for treatments and medication and asked questions every step of the way, which led them to take action when a groundbreaking experimental treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center offered a glimpse of hope. These made so much difference to Louis‘ recovery.
I am particularly taken by Louis‘ older brother, Harry; while not completely understanding what was going on with his brother, the changes around the house, and why his brother was getting more attention than he was, he was so supportive of his little brother.
As an emotional person who would cry through movies describing suffering or pain, I was reluctant to read this book. I bawled my eyes out so many times while reading it, but I can promise you that despite the sobbing and crying, I really enjoyed it, and you would, too. I like how they documented Louis‘ progress and growth using photographs. It made the story even more relatable and was quite beautiful.
I recommend this book to families facing medical challenges and those looking for a story of hope and the power of love. I also recommend it to people who love emotional books and health care professionals, as they can learn something from this story. I’m rating it five out of five stars because I loved everything about it, and it was well-written and professionally edited.
******
First Survivor
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon