Review of First Survivor

[Onyinyechi Obi]

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

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5 out of 5 stars

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The courageous struggle of young Louis Unger as he faced aggressive neuroblastoma cancer as a toddler is chronicled in Mark Unger's book, "First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough." Louis, Harry, Mary Ellen, and Mark Unger made up our usual family of four until the end of 2001. Mary Ellen saw that Louis, who was just three years old, was starting to walk awkwardly and was becoming less chatty at that point. 

The boy was diagnosed with a rare disease known as "Perthes disease" after his parents took him to the doctor. Louis's health continued to worsen, and he became more listless in the months of September and October. He saw the pediatric orthopedist with Mary Ellen, and "follow-up with routine X-rays" were obtained. The doctors were concerned about the X-ray results. Dr. Germain advised them to head straight to Yale New Haven Hospital's Children's Emergency Room, where he would meet them.

Ellen and Mark did everything they could to help their son, looking for the best medical care and speaking with the best physicians. We have to give Louis credit for his persistent will, which finally helped him win the fight against this terrible sickness. One might read First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough to find out more about the Unger family's struggle through such a difficult circumstance.

This book had a lot of positive aspects. I respect Lou's bravery, Mark's fortitude, Mary-Ellen's persistence, Harry's hopefulness, and the doctors' endurance during the conflict. Unger did an amazing job of documenting observations, feelings, prescriptions, treatments, and Lou's optimistic child mindset—even though some of the material was difficult to read and comprehend. I just found one thing in the book to be objectionable. Cancer is a difficult subject to understand. Even though I knew this going into the book, I still found it difficult to read this story through.

Since there are no typos in the book, I think the editing was done exceptionally well. Despite my dislike, I don't think it was worth removing a star from the rating. For the reasons mentioned above, I would give the book a rating of five out of five stars. I thought the book was fantastic overall, and I was really interested in reading about Louis and his family's hardships. I would suggest this book to anyone interested in learning more about cancer and the struggles that their families face. 

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First Survivor
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[Joy Stanley]

Ellen and Mark made every effort to support their kid, seeking out the best medical attention and consulting with the most reputable doctors.

[Mark M Maxwell]

Mark Unger's book, "First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough," recounts the harrowing journey of his son, Louis, who faced aggressive neuroblastoma as a toddler.

[Robert Cortes]

Your review of "First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough" by Mark Unger eloquently captures the emotional journey of Louis and his family as they navigate through the challenges of childhood cancer. You provide a poignant overview of Louis's diagnosis, treatment, and the unwavering support of his family and medical team.

[Chi Zurum]

Sounds like an amazing read, I'd really want to know how young Louis was able to get through all of that.

[Ladejobi Oluwaseyi]

It always amazing to pull through and not giving up on someone you love is always refreshing for me to read.

[Wisdom Chimaobi Iheadikanwa]

Your Overview of the work "First Survivor" By Mark Unger is very great..its always important to be resilient and never giving up on someone you love or have affection for...It's very interesting how the Author make do of his choice of words in his book..

[Elendu Divine Ugochi]

I can only imagine the pain Louis, his parents and loved ones felt. But their resilience gave me hope. I learned the importance of not giving up and I’m glad I picked this book. Well detailed review.

[Grace Jane]

Unger's writing is both compassionate and informative, offering valuable insights into cancer treatment.