By Alice B. Kornblith
This book is a collection of narratives by older cancer patients and survivors of four different types of cancer and describes what they have been through physically and emotionally since their diagnosis. Improved cancer treatment has lead to a growing number of older cancer survivors and here we learn how cancer affected their lives in so many different ways, each person replying to questions such as treatment and treatment side effects, overall impact of having had cancer, relationships with family, friends and acquaintance, religion/spirituality, coping needs which were unmet etc.
There is a noteworthy overall similarity in the shared reactions to the experiences. It was obvious that until you, yourself have had cancer you can’t understand what the person is going through. Many talk of the positive aspects of how American organisations equivalent to Cancer Support Switzerland (the author is American) can make all the difference. It is the sharing of experiences which permit survivors to overcome loneliness.
The author, a social psychologist, finishes the book with a synthesis of the participants’ contributions. She suggests that there needs to be more provision of support programmes for older cancer survivors and their caregivers such as support groups and patient-to-patient programmes, to help them feel less alone and to feel understood.
