Review of First Survivor

[Sara Behn]

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

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5 out of 5 stars

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I just finished reading “First Survivor”, by Mark Unger. It is a true story about Louis Unger, a child who survived neuroblastoma, a rare type of childhood cancer. The story is told by Louis’s father Mark, who describes how he and his wife Mary Ellen worked together to parent Louis and his brother Harry through Louis’s life-threatening illness.

“First Survivor” is an important book on many levels. In it, Mark Unger shares resources for families who are navigating their own journeys with neuroblastoma and other types of cancer. He also provides guidance and encouragement for parents and children who are facing any type of troubling diagnosis by describing how he and his wife advocated fiercely for Louis while at the same time respecting the doctors and medical staff who cared for him. “First Survivor” also beautifully illustrates how families can work together in even the worst of circumstances to love and care for each other as each person does the things that they are best equipped to do.

I give “First Survivor” a five-star rating out of five stars. The author’s compelling yet tender retelling of his family’s journey through their son’s battle with cancer is both well-written and inspiring. The book is also well-edited, with no noticeable errors to distract readers from the author’s powerful message. Another reason that I rate this book five out of five stars is that Mark Unger is able to describe the events that he, his wife, and his children lived through clearly, despite the seemingly endless stream of medical information that he and his wife had to process and act on quickly. In my opinion, there is nothing about this book that could be improved upon.

In a world where cancer is likely to touch almost every life in some way, the individuals and families who are willing to brave the pain of recounting their experience with cancer are to be commended. Thank you, Mark Unger, for being willing to put your family’s journey into words so that the world can see the courage, hope, faith, and love that you, your wife, and your sons demonstrate in your story of Louis’s miraculous victory over cancer.

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First Survivor
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[Grace Jane]

A valuable resource for families dealing with similar medical challenges.