A Warrior's Way: Insights for Cancer patients, Cancer Survivors and Those Who Love Them

Reviewer: Millie Caparro, MSN, RN, AOCN
The Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania
Last Modified: August 11, 2002

Author: John R. Cope
Publisher:Hearts That Care Publishing
ISBN: 0967828422
OncoLink Rating:

Amazon.com Disclosure

The old adage "You can't judge a book by its cover" will never be used more appropriately than when choosing to or refusing to read A Warrior's Way-- Insights for Cancer patients, Cancer Survivors and Those Who Love Them. The cover is a bit unusual to say the least. However, the book is a must read, especially for male cancer patients and those who love them.

The book is written by John R. Cope and it is a very good read for many reasons. First, it is written by a man. Men write about coping and surviving differently than women. Secondly, this man had breast cancer not once but three different times.

He has dared to go where no man has gone before. He is educating the public about a very rare disease in men. I ask you to think about all of the people who believe that "men never get breast cancer" or more frequently, "breast cancer is a woman's disease". I hope that this book will be read widely by men and women alike-what a public service!

Men can and do get breast cancer, however, it is a disease that is discussed mostly in terms of female statistics. As a result there are many men and women who are less educated about breast cancer in men. There are thousands of men who do not self examine nor do they report early signs suggestive of breast cancer due to pride, embarrassment, or just plain ignorance. This book may change some of this thinking. It may also educate females-those in relationships, or in families, or within communities to recognize that they are not the only ones at risk for developing breast cancer. It may assist partners, significant others, and spouses to begin encouraging monthly self breast exams for the men they care about-a kind of "we'll do this together". What a gift!

I encourage men and women to read A Warrior's Way, as it is an enlightening, encouraging, and honest account of a man's experience with cancer. I further believe that Mr. Cope's personal experience will provide the courage, hope, and fortitude that are required to battle this disease.