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In October 2001, James O’Connor was diagnosed with mesothelioma, the asbestos caused cancer. His prognosis was less than a year to live. Surgery was not possible because of the position of the tumor and chemotherapy would decrease his quality of life and not significantly improve his length of life. His oncologist suggested that he take his wife on a cruise and start hospice care upon his return. James rejected the idea. Instead he was determined to survive this cancer. Working with other professional clinicians, he formulated a regimen of over 100 supplements a day, changed his diet, practiced mind-body medicine, and relied on his own discipline to see him through the difficult times ahead. More than six years later, James is alive and active. He enjoys his life and continues his holistic regimen every day.

About the Author
In They Said Months, I Chose Years: A Mesothelioma Survivors Story, author and cancer survivor James OConnor explains what he did to survive his diagnosis of mesothelioma and provides much of the science behind his decisions. He cites nearly one hundred medical articles that support the paradigm of using nutrition to help manage a chronic disease like cancer. This inspirational book reminds us that there may be other ways to beat cancer beyond chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. It also prompts us to recall the wisdom of Hippocrates, the father of medicine. Over 2,000 years ago this Greek physician said, Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.

Paul Kraus’ book has all the information a cancer patient needs to have to learn what survival behavior is about. — Bernie Siegel, MD author Love, Medicine and Miracles and Help Me To Heal –Bernie Siegel, MD

About the Author
Paul Kraus was born in 1944 in Austria and migrated with his parents to Australia as a young child. He received his BA at Macquarie University and a Master of Arts and Education from the University of Sydney. For most of his working life he has been a high school history teacher. It was during a summer vacation job as a university student that he was exposed to asbestos. Over thirty years later he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, the asbestos related cancer. Today, he works as a freelance writer and journalist. He, his wife and their two miniature schnauzers live north of Sydney in the city of Newcastle. More information about Paul Kraus and his story can be found at his website: survivingmesothelioma.com

“When facing a major health crisis, connecting with people is an invaluable lifeline,” writes Margie Levine in Surviving Cancer: One Woman’s Story and Her Inspiring Program for Anyone Facing a Cancer Diagnosis. Call “friends in the medical field, and then friends of their friends”; call “hospitals, libraries and health clinics… cancer organizations and holistic health centers”; contact intimates and “fellow travelers” (others with cancer) for support. Such networking, says Levine, yields “information that may be more immediately useful… than what you find in books, because it is first-hand, people-driven, up-to-date, and customized to your specific situation by the questions you ask.” That said, Levine, in a compassionate but matter-of-fact manner, offers an exceptionally helpful book. She suggests small, practical steps that can make a big difference organizationally, such as using a tape recorder and a medical notebook to record information. She outlines alternative therapies (massage, acupuncture, etc.), spiritual and psychological resources and practices (meditation, prayer, journaling), medications, diet and strategies for dealing with MRIs and stress in general. Recommended for anyone with cancer and their loved ones.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Levine is a health education teacher, a social worker, a therapist specializing in integrative medicine, and most importantly a cancer survivor. Diagnosed with mesothelioma of the lung in 1989, she was told that she only had six months to live. Her success story is told in this combination of aggressive, cutting-edge medicine, nutritional support, meditation, visualization, and other alternative therapies. By networking, Levine sought out the best physicians and latest treatments and investigated clinical trials. Along the way, she provides helpful hints for becoming one’s own best advocate. Cancer sufferers can use her story as a road map to effective treatment. Unique in its combination of the personal and the practical, this inspirational guide is recommended for public libraries and consumer health collections. [The "Forty-One Steps to Wellness" section was originally self-published as Embracing Challenge. Ed.] Jodith Janes, Cleveland Clinic Fndn.
- Jodith Janes, Cleveland Clinic Fndn.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.