1. Read the Bible (Psalm 23 really helped me--I memorized it and repeated
it to myself at 3:10 a.m. when I couldn't sleep)

2. Pray (a lot!)

3. Don't worry (yeah, right, easy to say and hard to do--but check out
Philippians chapter 4 in the New Testament)

4. Reach out for help from family, friends, church, health care workers,
etc. (Don't be shy! Don't be afraid to ask for help! You know the "squeaky
wheel" saying. Stay in touch--don't crawl away and hide in bed.)

5. Stay on top of your own treatment (do your own research, get second or
third opinions, check out alternatives, be firm--it's your body and your
life!)

6. Don't push yourself too hard (take a break, relax, listen to music,
swim, hike in the mountains, watch T.V., eat chocolate, whatever. Enjoy
life--you still can!)

7. Get involved with a cancer support group--it's so important to realize
you're not the only one with cancer (share your feelings and trials with
other people who know what you're talking about)

8. Keep a journal of your experiences and feelings (yes, write these things
down--even if it's just a few words or sentences once a week)

9. Laugh! (that's so good for you! Find the funny aspects of your
predicament--like when you were baking cookies with your wig on, got too
close to the oven, and singed your fake bangs)

10. Remember, cancer can be beat! (I know the grammar's wrong there) Many
people have survived. Keep that all-important positive attitude. What
you're going through won't last forever! There really is a light at the end
of the tunnel, a sunrise coming, a new hope (you can tell I'm a Christian
and believe in the resurrection and heaven, and even a happy ending,
but--hey--that's who I am)

If you've read my book, you know what I learned while battling cancer--and what mistakes I made. Since I am, after all, a teacher, I'll give you an outline of some of my more important discoveries:

***Do the three-step screening for breast cancer: monthly self-exams, regular mammograms, and yearly doctor exams. My self-exam saved my life! By the way, men get breast cancer, too.

***If you find an unusual lump in your body, get a doctor to check it out. Don't wait. Remember, a biopsy is usually the only way to know for sure if you have cancer. People in the medical profession can be very caring, wise, and effective. Don't be afraid of them.

***Maintain control over your own medical treatment. Do your own research. Get second and third opinions if necessary. Don't let doctors, other medical personnel, family, friends, or anyone intimidate you, stall, or force a particular treatment. They're only human, too, and they can make mistakes. It's your body and your illness, so take charge!

***Fight cancer with all you've got. Don't let well-meaning family members, friends, or anyone else put you in the grave before you're ready. Fight until you believe, in your heart, you've done everything possible--and even impossible. Doctors and nurses will tell you they've seen miracles--cancer patients who were told they had six months to live are still alive years later. Even chemotherapy might not be right for you--everything has its side effects, and you must weight the cost of the cure.

***Consider using herbs, diet, and/or other alternative treatments and preventatives. Visit your local health food store or look in the yellow pages for a holistic healer, herbalist, or nutritionist. I recommend this as an addition to conventional medical treatment, not necessarily a substitute.

***Reach out for help--to God, family, friends, the Internet, the bookstore, the library, the medical profession, etc.

***Through everything, stay close to the ones your love--your spouse, children, brothers, sisters, parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, etc.

***Go to a cancer support group. You'll discover that you're not the only one who feels the way you do. You can exchange stories and learn more about cancer, treatments, family issues, side effects (physical, emotional, and mental), etc. . Besides, you can relax, drink coffee, eat snacks, and sit in a comfortable chair for an hour or two.

***It might be wise to wait three years after having chemotherapy before you try to conceive a child.

***Don't isolate yourself and plunge into depression. People can help you. Many people survive cancer--learn to see the positive and not the negative.

***Remember that the actual physical treatment may be, in some ways, easier than the emotional, mental, and spiritual recovery that follows. If you get anxiety attacks, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder, seek help--from family, friends, counselors, the medical profession, etc.

***Life continues after cancer--celebrate life!

***Look for ways to reduce stress in your life. Pray (or meditate)--a lot. Listen to music or watch videos. Take naps. Walk in the country. Go out to lunch. Sing or dance. Don't just rush, work, and worry all the time.

***It wouldn't hurt to read and memorize inspirational verses (I recommend the Bible).

1. The American Cancer Society--www.cancer.org

or call 1-800-ACS-2345

Here you can find all kinds of information on cancer events and late-breaking research news, treatment, support, volunteering to help cancer patients, local ACS chapters in your area, etc.. Also, you can call and speak to a nurse and order informative booklets.

2. The National Cancer Institute's CancerNet--www.cancer.gov

or call 1-800-4-CANCER

This is the best technical cancer source on the Internet--home of the famous PDQ ("Physicians Data Query"--information written for either doctors or patients). Find all about the latest research, types of cancer, treatment, recovery, etc.

3. Oncolink (Univ. of Penn. Cancer Center)--cancer.med.upenn.edu

Check out the survivor stories, artwork, photos, support groups, technical information, links to other cancer sites, etc.

4. Steve Dunn's Cancerguide--cancerguide.org

Very helpful for patients--survival stories, tips on how to research cancer, lots of Internet links, etc.

5. City of Hope--cityofhope.org

Get the latest cancer research information, find out about bone marrow transplantation, and read "bmt" survivor stories (complete with photos). You can also learn about volunteer opportunities, especially the annual "Walk for Hope" against breast cancer.

6. The Susan G. Komen Foundation--www.komen.org

or call (800) I'M AWARE (462-9273)

A user-friendly site where you can read survivor stories and find out what the Susan G. Komen Foundation is doing to help fight breast cancer. You can see a list of national and local activities such as "Race for the Cure." You can find out more about breast cancer, post your own survival story, or order a cute pink ribbon pin.

7. The New Zealand Cancer Society--www.cancersoc.org.nz

or call (0800) 800-426

Get help and support in New Zealand where Daffodil Day is the end of August, and people really get involved.

1. Fighting Cancer by Annette and Richard Bloch. R.A. Bloch Cancer Foundation: Kansas City, MO, 1985.

All sorts of good, practical advice from the co-founder of H & R Block, Inc. Doctors told Mr. Bloch that he should get his affairs in order because he would soon die of terminal lung cancer. He recovered and founded a nonprofit cancer support center at the University of Missouri. Richard also started the famous "PDQ" now on NCI's CancerNet (Internet Homepage).

2. Making the Chemotherapy Decision by David Drum. Lowell House: Los Angeles, 1996.

I wish this book was out when I was first diagnosed. I should have read it before I started chemotherapy. It lists most of the chemo drugs, how they work, side effects, etc. It also tells you what to expect emotionally during and after chemo. Great for patients and their families and friends.

3. It's Always Something by Gilda Radner. Avon Books: New York, 1989.

I really enjoyed this sad, funny, honest book by Gilda, the well-known comedienne who died of "the most unfunny thing in the world"--ovarian cancer--in 1989. Her narrative is easy to follow and interesting. I wish I had met Gilda. Maybe someday I will.

4. Cancer Combat by Dean and Jessica King and Jonathan Pearlroth. Bantam: New York, 1998.

This book is filled with survivor stories by all sorts of cancer patients and tackles topics from bills to treatments to recovery and support.

5. The Climb of my Life by Laura Evans. Harper: San Francisco, 1996.

A mountaineer chronicles her battle with breast cancer and her founding of "Expedition Inspiration," a group that takes recovering breast cancer patients on mountain climbs.

6. No Mountain Too High by Andrea Gabbard. Seal Press, 1998.

Another hiker and breast cancer patient tells her survival story and how she led a group of breast cancer-recovering women to climb the highest mountain in South America.

7. No Time to Die by Liz Tiberis. Little, Brown & Co.: New York, 1998.

A fashion industry leader chronicles her successful battle with ovarian cancer.

8. Eileen's Story by Rosamond Richardson. Element: Rockport, MA, 1997.

The easy-to-read tale of a woman who had "incurable" lymphoma and recovered.

9. When Life Becomes Precious by Elise Babcock. Bantom Doubleday: New York, 1997.

A guide for loved ones and friends of cancer patients, this book gives stories of patients along with advice on what to say and expect when a loved one (or you) hear the diagnosis of cancer. Elise Babcock is an experienced counselor whose father died of cancer.

10. Portraits of Hope: Conquering Breast Cancer. Text by Marcia Stevens. Photography by Nora Feller. Sherril. The Wonderland Press and Smithmark Publishers: New York, 1998.

A beautiful collection of 52 women's stories about surviving breast cancer. Great photographs. Some of the women are celebrities; some are previously unknown. Easy to read and encouraging.

11. Coping with Cancer by John E. Packo. Christian Publications, Inc.: Camp Hill, PA, 1991.

A minister's story of his battle with lymphoma. He gives Biblical perspectives on suffering and healing.

12. Cancer Lives at Our House by Beatrice Hofman Hoek. Baker Books: Grand Rapids, MI, 1997.

A mother recounts her family's reaction to her breast cancer. She gives helpful advice and Biblical insight on how to help family members and friends of cancer patients.

13. Prescription for Nutritional Healing (2nd edition) by James F. Balch, M.D. and Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C. Avery Publishing Group: Garden City Park, NY, 1997.

A helpful guide to herbal, vitamin, food, and other drug-free remedies and preventatitive treatments. Easy to read and informative--a must for anyone interested in holistic health.

14. PDR for Herbal Medicines (1st edition). Medical Economics Company: Montvale, NJ, 1998.

Everything you wanted to know about herbs--and more. This helpful guide lists chemical properties of herbs, history, habitat, what they're used for, side effects, etc. You may need to look up in a medical dictionary some of the medical terms.

15. The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine. Charles B. Clayman, M.D., Medical Editor. Random House: New York, 1989.

Do you want to know where the lymph nodes are? See how a CAT-scan works? Learn the difference between a harmless cold and spinal meningitis? This easy-to-use book comes with helpful illustrations and explanations of complicated conditions and medical terms--in everyday English. Everybody should have one. It's not for making your own diagnosis, but it can help you become a lot more informed about your body and the medical world.

16. The Complete Cancer Survival Guide. Peter Teeley and Philip Bashe. Doubleday: New York, 2000.

A comprehensive source book for all types and treatments of cancer. It's thick and full of information--the encylopedia of cancer! Easy to read--a must for all cancer patients and their families.

17. Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book. Susan M. Love, M.D. with Karen Lindsey. Perseus Books: New York, 2000.

All you need to know about breasts, what can go wrong with them, and how to keep them healthy. It has a good section on breast cancer, treatment, and prevention.

18. Women's Health Companion. Susan M. Lark, M.D. Celestial Arts Publishing: Berkeley, CA, 1995.
A general guide to women's health, including diet, lifestyle, exercise, etc.

19. The Breast Cancer Prevention Diet. Dr. Bob Arnot. Little, brown and Company: New York, 1998.

An easy-to-follow diet to help prevent breast cancer (eat the right fats, avoid sugar, and stock up on fresh vegetables!).

20. It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong and Sally Jenkins, 2002.

The many-time Tour d'France winner candidly discusses his cancer and treatment, including medical procedures, workouts, and the road to recovery as a world-class athlete.

21. Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Practical Guide to Your Future by Nancy Keene and others, 2000.

The author gives much helpful information about the physical, emotional, psychological, and social aspects of cancer in young people. It includes a helpful section on the long-term effects of chemotherapy, and even a little book where you can keep information about the drugs and other aspects of your treatment.

22. Hannah's Gift: Lessons from a Life Fully Lived by Maria Housden, 2002.

A mother chronicles the death of her three-year-old daughter to cancer. Little Hannah lived fully, dancing in her glittery red shoes in the hospital room. Hannah brought joy to all she touched. This book will bring comfort to anyone troubled by loss.

1. A Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment by The California Department of Health Services (no date). Order from Breast Cancer Treatment Options, Medical Board of California, 1426 Howe Ave., Suite 54, Sacramento, CA 95825 or FAX requests to (916) 263-2479.

Find out, in this short booklet, about essential breast cancer detection, treatment, and support (with phone numbers, address, and helpful illustrations).

2. Chemotherapy and You by the National Cancer Institute (Publication No. 94-1136), July, 1993.

This booklet explains how basic chemotherapy treatments work, their possible side effects, and precautions you should take while undergoing treatment.

3. Taking Time by the National Cancer Institute (Publication No. 94-2059), December, 1993.

Written for patients, their families, and their friends, this booklet discusses helpful ways to deal with doctors and hospitals, emotional needs, exercise, stress, family issues, self-image, and long-term recovery.

1. Living with Cancer: A Message of Hope VHS video by Wellspring Media, 2000.

Narrated by Anne Bancroft, in which cancer patients and professionals discuss the disease and how they survived. It even has jokes by a cancer surviving comedian.

2. Between Us VHS video by Mary Katzke, 1998.

A support group for women with breast cancer. Survivors share their stories.

3. No Hair Day: Laughing (and Crying) Our Way Through Breast Cancer VHS video by WGBH Boston, 2001.

Three breast cancer patients share their own stories of treatment, wigs, and emotions. They show how cancer isn't always frowning.