Everything Changes

"By page three of the introduction to Everything Changes, I wanted not only to devour the rest of the book, but I wanted to call Kairol up, get to know her, and (if we weren't both already married) see if I could sleep with her. Then the book got really good. It is, without doubt, the most forthright, emotionally sophisticated, and plain-old valuable book of its kind I've seen. The book defines and exemplifies what the verb 'fight' really means: to arm, prepare, and engage in sustained effort to gain a desired end. If that's your mission, this is your instruction manual.". —Evan Handler, actor and author of Time On Fire and It's Only Temporary: The Good News and the Bad News of Being Alive (and a guy who got well from acute myeloid leukemia in 1985). On a shoestring budget and with tape recorder in hand, Kairol Rosenthal emerged from treatment and hit the road in search of other twenty- and thirtysomething cancer survivors. From the Big Apple to the Bible Belt, she dusted the sugarcoating off of the young adult cancer experience, exposing the gritty and compelling stories of twenty-five complete strangers. The men and women in Everything Changes confess their most vulnerable moments, revealing cancer experiences they never told anyone else—everything from what they thought about at night before going to bed to what they wish they could tell their lovers but were too afraid to. With irreverent flare and practical wisdom, Everything Changes includes stories, how-to resources, and expert advice on issues that are important for young adult cancer patients, including:.:.;. Dating and sex.;. Medical insurance and the healthcare system.;. Faith and spirituality.;. Employment and career.;. Fertility and adoption.;. Friends and family.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting read. Title is misleading

By EnglandBoy - September 8, 2009

I myself am a cancer survivor, having battled lymphoma for several years. I came across this book late in my experience, a few years after I reached a long term remission. The book is filled with interviews of young adults who tell their private stories in their battles with cancer. I found their experiences to be interesting, and very close to my heart since I too, had experienced many of their struggles such as with work, dating and living with my parents.

There were a couple of thoughts that settled in my mind after I finished reading this. First off, this book is referenced as "the insider's guide to cancer in your 20s and 30s." It is clearly not a guide. A guide is a handbook, a tool to help you navigate the unexpected or unfamiliar. My question is how many newly diagnosed cancer patients in their 20s and 30s buy a book like this once they hear of their shocking diagnosis. I certainly didn't. The first thought was "what the ^%$$^*(&##" and not, "i guess I'll look up a... read more

Essential reading for young cancer patients and loved ones

By Christine Blumer "ChicagoWineDiva" - February 27, 2009

Not every cancer patient is a heroic cheerleader type.

If the sight of pink ribbons makes you want to hurl (without chemo), then this is the book for you. Kairol interviews young adults who share their darker thoughts and feelings along with tidbits of inspiration. The book is chock full of resources for self education, financial assistance, and dealing with the freak show that is the US health care system.

If you have a 20-30 something close friend or family member with cancer that doesn't necessarily want to "share" or talk about their feelings: read this book. It will give you an insight as to how lonely and private this crappy disease can be and how easily it can shift extroverted happy folks to emo types in a heartbeat. And why that's absoultely OK.

I'm a 30 something stage 4 colon cancer patient and I found great comfort in this book. It's nice to know that I'm not alone on my occasional visits to the dark side.Finally, some validation regarding... read more

Required Reading - even if you're not the one who's sick

By CB Coulter - March 11, 2009

As someone who has always seemed to know "someone with cancer", I was very interested to read a book about the disease by someone my age. Kairol doesn't sugar-coat her experiences, nor does she seem to dumb down those of her subjects. The book really opens the door to every aspect of cancer, and I expect it would be especially valuable to those with limited income and/or support structures facing the disease.

Although Rosenthal devotes space at the end of each chapter to describing practical resources, I personally found the most value in her subjects' description of how they got through every day, and what they really needed from the people in their lives. Almost everyone reported that friends and attachments slipped away, as those who aren't sick don't quite know how to deal with the person who is. Everyone's different; there's no one method to deal with people with cancer. Taking the time to figure out what your "someone with cancer" wants - and then delivering -... read more