When Your Life Is Touched by Cancer: Practical Advice and Insights for Patients, Professionals and Those Who Care, Paperback

Even those who are ordinarily calm and thoughtful find themselves spinning when first diagnosed with cancer. When Your Life Is Touched by Cancer helps sort out the issues involved with a cancer diagnosis, including conversations about cancer with friends, family, and doctors; traditional and nontraditional treatment options; the often-difficult period when treatment ends; and breaking the news to parents and children, including tips on what to say. Sympathetic and clear, this guide is the perfect place to turn to in a moment of crisis, providing both immediate comfort and the tools to move forward.

Bob Riter is the Executive Director of the Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes in Ithaca, NY, an organization that provides support, information, and community to people affected by cancer. His involvement in the cancer community began in 1996 when he was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 40. Bob writes about cancer from a variety of perspectives in his column for the Ithaca Journal and his essays have appeared in Newsweek and CR Magazine. He routinely speaks to college classes, civic organizations, and professional groups about the human side of cancer. A native of Huntington, West Virginia, Bob received a master's degree in health services administration from the University of Michigan. He is currently a member of the New York State Health Research Science Board, and was the winner of the 2006 Innovation in Breast Cancer Research and Education Award in the health professional category from the New York State Innovation in Breast Cancer Research and Education Program.