Pros: Addresses a serious subject with relative warmth.
Cons: Redundant writing, inability to identify with featured women.
The Bottom Line: This is a worthy subject that deserves to be treated with respect and candor. "I'm Too Young" does a mediocre job of this.
bethesdalily's Full Review: Beth Hawkins - I'm Too Young to Have Breast Cancer...
SURVIVOR STRATEGIES
Within my year and a half at university, I have encountered two incredible women, both of whom were breast cancer survivors. At the time, I felt that I could relate to them, having had a rare and life-threatening blood disorder since birth. After all, I knew what it was to be hospitalized for weeks, what IV’s and ports entailed, and even what it meant to be harassed by medical staff and unsupportive school systems.
After reading Beth Leibson-Hawkins’ book I’M TOO YOUNG TO HAVE BREAST CANCER!, however, I came to a different conclusion altogether. Written to address the concerns of young women with the disease, this relatively short guide attempts to shed a bit of light on many of the concerns facing this population: career management, family, etc.
STAYING IN CONTROL
The book begins with an introduction explainingLeibson-Hawkins’ reasons for writing I’M TOO YOUNG. Apparently, one of her younger friends had been diagnosed with breast cancer. After discovering that the plethora of resources geared toward older women would not be applicable to this friend, she decided to compile some information for women diagnosed during their twenties and thirties. This book, containing the stories of sixteen women, is the result.
As soon as I began this book, I knew that it was likely to be quite redundant.Leibson-Hawkins summarizes the stories of many of the women in this book, then expresses the sentiment that “whatever works” is best. However, I could tolerate this for the relative interest level of the introduction. 4 stars.
Chapter I deals with managing daily life following diagnosis and during treatment. One woman allowed nothing to stand as a barrier to the enjoyment of “Normal” life. Always an organized individual, she formed a highly-structured support network and continued to go out with friends, no matter her physical condition. Other women found that setting small goals, such as preparing a cup of coffee, was more conducive to their personality. However a woman chooses to manage her daily life, it is important to learn to take care of one’s body and to allow others to help.
I felt that this chapter only seemed to profile extremely active women. Must one be perfect—originally healthy, constantly in motion, and impeccably happy—in order to receive a voice in this book? Yet, many of the coping suggestions—such as taking care of one’s own emotional state before that of others—were quite helpful. 4 stars.
Chapter II deals with career and finding fulfillment therein. Whereas some women continued working, others felt that they must focus upon treatment and choose a less stressful occupation. One young woman was forced to go on welfare so that her insurance would pay her medical expenses. Some women find that their priorities completely alter. I can relate to this; often, having a medical condition renders work and academic concerns null.Leibson-Hawkins suggests working with one’s supervisors and resigning from a position that is not conducive to physical or emotional challenges. 3 stars.
Most of the career women profiled in this chapter worked in law, corporate offices, or other stressful positions. Most fell within the upper middle-class income bracket. What of teachers or others in other positions—not necessarily upper middle-class? Do those not count as careers? I felt that the selection of career women was far too narrow. 3 stars.
Chapter III deals with sexuality and its cousin, feeling attractive. Many women—particularly following a mastectomy [[feel incomplete. Even with reconstructive surgery, some feel unattractive to husbands or boyfriends. The effects of chemotherapy and steroids may likewise render a woman undesirable in her own eyes. This chapter, then, relates the ways in which certain women came to terms with their new bodies. While some chose to celebrate baldness or the loss of a breast, others chose reconstruction. Although many did marry or begin a serious relationship, some chose to remain single.
Although most of the stories in this chapter were on-topic,Leibson-Hawkins does not relate the relationship choices of one woman. Her story seemed to have been sandwiched into the chapter because there was no other place for it. The chapter seemed generally watered down with superfluous commentary and summaries of other events in the women’s lives. 3 stars.
Chapter IV relates the challenges that may face a young mother or mother-to-be following a diagnosis of breast cancer. Some forms of the disease are estrogen-receptive, meaning that a woman’s risk increases should she decide to conceive. Young mothers are often faced with the task of explaining their illness to children. Two “breast cancer genes” have been identified in recent years; when children reach maturity, they must choose whether to be tested for the gene. While one woman chose to adopt, others felt that childbirth was a risk that they were willing to take.
I would very much liked to have witnessed the mothers’ interactions with their children. Many of these are summarized and/or oversimplified. Suggestions on answering children’s questions likewise would have been helpful. However, this chapter makes a concerted effort to address fertility options and decently recounts women’s parenting challenges. 4 stars.
Finally, my favorite! Or, so I thought at the time. Chapter V discusses faith and the choices that three women made regarding spirituality. In order: one created a cleansing ritual before her mastectomy, drawing from Jewish tradition; one questioned all things and remained a confirmed agnostic; the third became a devout Christian and remains so many years following her cancer. This chapter seemed extraordinarily incomplete.Leibson-Hawkins seemed to gloss over the women’s spiritual lives; the chapter seemed added as an afterthought, with little relevant detail. The chapter focused upon much the same things that other chapters discussed—diagnosis, treatment, appearance, lifestyle management, family, etc. While these are worthy subjects, they were extraneous when considering the chapter’s title--“Faith, Religion, and Spirituality”. 2 stars.
There then follows an Afterward, wherein the author concisely summarizes her book once again. This afterward parallels the introduction to such an extent that I must admit to not finishing this section. You must know that I despise book abridgment; does this tell you something about the book’s redundancy? 2 stars.
Each chapter contains sidebars entitled “Survivor Suggestions”. Some of these were more relivant than others. The strongest dealt with family and personal management, while the weakest dealt with faith and spirituality. However, I felt that these were worthy contributions toLeibson-Hawkins’ book. 3 stars.
LIKE CELERY WITHOUT PEANUT BUTTER…
Is the content of this book. I found the writing style to be inordinately bland; the serious subject matter is no excuse whatsoever for a writing style with soggy vocabulary. Though the book was intended as a series of intimate conversations between the reader and various women, each story is summarized to the point of oversimplification. Witnessing a few more scenes of daily life mjight have allowed me to better identify with the women.
Many ghost writers tell their subjects’ stories in first-person.Leibson-Hawkins, on the other hand, uses third-person to speak of a very intimate subject. I felt that private stories, when spoken through a rather public third-person narrator, lost their impact.
At least celery contains a bit of water. Considering some of the helpful information throughout this book, I do recommend I’M TOO YOUNG. Do not, however, expect to identify fully with the characters. If you have been diagnosed with the disease, allow this to be one of the books on your research journey; do not allow it to be the only one.
This is my entry in Laurashrti’s Breast Cancer Awareness write-off. Please go to
http://www0.epinions.com/content_5107851396
to learn more.
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