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Faith Hope and Cancer ’30th Cancerversary’ Edition Book Trailer

Cuddle Crew Book Trailer

Why Leukemia Girl?

Cancer is a word you never want to hear, but one I heard when I was thirteen years old when I was told I had Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia.

When I was in high school, I heard a classmate was calling me ‘leukemia girl’ behind my back. I felt hurt, but I also knew she had every right to call me that because I was a girl and I had leukemia, what I didn’t like was that she wasn’t willing to call me that to my face. So at a football game, I confronted her and told her if she was going to continue calling me ‘leukemia girl’ that she not do it behind my back anymore.

What does a Cancer Survivor look like?

They look like an average person. Leukemia is a blood cancer, so it doesn’t leave physical scars behind. The only scars I have come from my broviac catheter (central line), and the emotional scars that come with what I went through. When people see me who don’t know my past, they can’t tell I ever had cancer.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought I would be an author, but God gave me a voice and I have found a way to use it. First through my memoir and now through a children’s book about stuffed animals helping children comfort and cope with being hospitals and cancer.

My journey wasn’t always easy but it was worth it to share it with you.

I’ve had this book for a little while but didn’t want to start it until I had time to really sit with it. I’m not going to rate it, because it isn’t a story someone made up in their head, it’s a retelling of someone’s life- someone I know, in fact- and you cannot rate someone’s feelings and experiences. Carolyn is a former coworker of mine. I knew when we worked together that she was a childhood cancer survivor, so when she told me she’d written this, of course, I read it! I’m not sure what I was expecting, or if I even had any expectations, really, but I can tell you I didn’t expect a lesson in faith. That’s what this memoir is, to me. Yes, it talks about some very difficult subject matter, but it’s so full of hope! I’ve always known Carolyn as a positive, upbeat person, and that very much comes through on these pages. What I didn’t realize is how strong and deep her faith is. It was very uplifting to read this, and it’s made me take a closer look at the blessings in my own life. If you’re struggling with something- anything!- and you need help finding your hope and your spirit, read this. It’ll lift you up, I promise! ~Lynnette

Book Review

I just finished Carolyn Koncal Breinich’s book “Faith, Hope and Cancer”. I recommend it not only for families experiencing childhood cancer but anyone who has survived cancer, strokes or any life changing medical event! Shalom ~Kathy L.