Review of First Survivor

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

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5 out of 5 stars

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This book can be read in two ways. One is a book with a tragic topic that takes us into the world of parents who are thrown into the very harsh sickness of their child. The second is more informative, where parents share how they have been approaching the situation, done their research, and endured this very trying time. This could be useful to any parents or guardians who find themselves in the situation of having to advocate for a sick child. There is a section called ‘’Resources for Support’’ that could be useful for parents of children fighting with cancer.

This book is written in the form of a diary or journal from the events starting in August 2001 up until Louis high school graduation in 2015. Each chapter has a given time period.

Louis Unger is the boy who has endured so much after being diagnosed with neuroblastoma. His attitude throughout the disease is astonishing; many adults would not withstand as much pain as this child managed at the age of 3. It is proof of a miracle and dedication on many levels from the patient, parents, and medical team.

With the moment of diagnosis, the life of this family was turned upside down; every day was a fight. That included, as well, finding it in the meanders of the medical world where each conversation is packed with unknown words, and it took lots of time for the parents of Louis to understand the jargon. That’s why, at the end of the book, there is a dictionary with explained terms. Parent notes, letters, and email messages are moving parts of the book. There are also pictures of the family and Louis, showing how he changed during treatment but still had a smile on his face. A very dramatic change in his appearance is visible after his chemotherapy, where he was a very skinny boy, and after receiving steroids for a brain tumor. This adds to the evidence of the story and experience this child went through. I rate this moving book 5 out of 5 stars.

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First Survivor
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