After Breast Cancer

September 1, 2003
Although countless books and pamphlets have been written for women recently diagnosed with breast cancer, little exists for women who have finished their treatment. While many outsiders assume that the end of treatment brings only relief, women who have had breast cancer know that the post-treatment chapter in the breast cancer experience is one of the most difficult. Schnipper, a breast cancer survivor and an oncology social worker, helps prepare women for life after breast cancer by imparting information and advice in an intimate and direct manner. She covers all aspects of the experience, including physical recovery, coping with family members who expect everything to go back to normal immediately, fertility and fear of recurrence. The idea of transformation underlies the book, and she devotes a moving chapter to the different ways some women have gained or regained a sense of spirituality. As Schnipper writes, "Our lives have been changed in many ways and we have tried to be understanding and flexible about our possibilities.... Our hearts and souls, however, need time to catch up." In this volume, readers will find a guide that might help them better understand their infinitely complex circumstances and find hope.