Cancer Talk: Voices of Hope and Endurance from the Group Room, the World's Largest Cancer Support Group »

Selma R. Schimmel was diagnosed with breast cancer at age twenty-eight. In the sixteen years since, she has become a leader for numerous cancer programs and a healthcare advocate. Schimmel founded and currently serves as president and CEO of Vital Options®, which produces "The Group Room." She lives in southern California.

Barry Fox is the coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Arthritis Cure. He also lives in southern California.

A portion of the author's proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to Vital Options.

For the first time, Cancer Talk provides a support group in a book.

Research shows that cancer patients who attend support groups can survive longer and lead fuller lives than patients receiving medical treatment alone. Cancer Talk, based on "The Group Room®," the nation's only talk-radio cancer support show, brings hope, information, and inspiration to everyone affected by cancer. Show host Selma Schimmel, a cancer advocate and longtime survivor, has gathered the voices of cancer patients and survivors, family and friends, physicians, therapists, and other healthcare professionals to create an invaluable guide to help you:

Deal with the wide range of emotions a cancer diagnosis provokes Cope with relationships, intimacy, and physical changes Optimize the doctor-patient relationship and navigate treatment options Handle the side effects of treatment Understand legal, workplace, and insurance issues Live with and beyond cancer

Anyone whose life has been touched by cancer will find new support from the intimate and empowering voices of the only real experts out there—the people who live with cancer.

Library Journal

Terrified. Angry. Confused. Lost. Alone. All aptly describe one's reaction after a cancer diagnosis. Author Schimmel was diagnosed with breast cancer 16 years ago and felt that cancer patients needed more than the patronizing, often paternalistic attitude of some doctors. She founded Vital Options, a nationwide communications organization that offers information, support, and advocacy through a radio talk show, "The Group Room®." The words of cancer patients, family members, physicians, and therapists along with commentary from Schimmel comprises Cancer Talk. The book is divided into four main categories, "Handling the Medical Aspects of Cancer," "Dealing with Your Emotions," "The Legal and Social Aspects of Cancer," and "Beyond Cancer," and discusses cancer in young adults and children, the needs of caregivers, and negotiating the maze of managed care, among other issues. Each chapter ends with a bulleted list of things to do, and a resource list concludes the book. People undergoing cancer treatment and their families will find this (and its radio show sire) an invaluable source of information, advice, encouragement, and comfort. Highly recommended for public libraries and patient health collections. [The reviewer is no relation to coauthor Fox.--Ed.]--Bette-Lee Fox, "Library Journal" Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.