Review of First Survivor

[Kelsie Heitert]

[Following is a volunteer review of "First Survivor" by Mark Unger.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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First Survivor by Mark Unger tells the heart-wrenching story of Louis Unger’s battle with cancer at only three years old. After being given precisely zero chance of survival, Louis fights to defy all odds and become the first child to survive this fatal diagnosis of neuroblastoma. Mark Unger, Louis’s father, recounts the family’s journey through Louis’s diagnosis from beginning to end. He details every emotion he and his wife, Mary Ellen, felt along the way, from tears of sadness to tears of joy. The story also includes some of the hardships the family faces with their other son Harry. Being just a couple of years older than his brother Louis, Harry struggled to understand why his brother was receiving all his parents’ attention and longed for a simple life with both his brother and parents at home with him.

I would give this book five out of five stars. First Survivor takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster with Mark and Mary Ellen Unger. Every hospital visit, you feel like you are right there with them, experiencing every emotion they are. Unger does an excellent job explaining the doctors’ terminology in ways the reader can understand. He also details what was going through his head in those moments by including excerpts from the journal he kept throughout the process. He recounts the research he conducted on doctors and treatments and the tough and ultimately life-saving decisions he and his wife had to make. Overall, Unger was able to capture almost every detail of Louis’s journey with cancer over several years in a well-written and easy-to-read emotional book. Families facing similar situations can find comfort and hope in Louis’s story.

Sometimes the book was hard to follow when Unger explained what the doctors told them. The terminology used is too complex for the average person with no background in the medical field. However, every medical term is bolded, and a glossary is included at the back of the book to refer to when needed.

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First Survivor
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[Dileep Kumar 1]

I currently read this book "First Survivor" by Mark Unger tells the heart breaking story of three years younger of Louis Unger's this struggle with cancer disease.

[Enjani Matendeko]

I don't know the best word to use to describe Louis. But he's a child worth writing a story about. He survived very serious cancer attacks that could have easily cost him his life. However, he survived. That was really amazing.