Not many of us can say that cancer hasn’t touched our lives in some way whether it be in our own life or in the lives of our loved ones. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I always like to try and spotlight a few books that deal with breast cancer and those dealing with it. A Breast Cancer Alphabet by Madhulika Sikka is a little book that packs a big punch and should be one of the first things you gift a newly diagnosed breast cancer patient. This book will give them some insight into what will happen to them in terms of the medical side of things and also the personal side as well. The best way I can describe this book is to say it is very real and straightforward. Madhulika talks about sex, drugs, your feelings on your hair and breasts for that matter – she addresses so many things that really matter when you’re diagnosed with this devastating disease. As a note I used my own photo because I think it shows just how pretty this little book is and as frivolous as it may sound I think it’s important to have pretty things when you’re not well along with your favorite pillows (the author speaks about that), blankets, and of course your furry pet if you have one.
Yet this book isn’t just for those diagnosed with breast cancer. It is important for an individual’s family and friends to read it as well so they can gain a much better understanding of what their loved one is dealing with. Breast cancer has touched my family many times unfortunately as many carry the breast cancer gene and I lost a best friend to breast cancer as well. So many things that Madhulika describes I can still clearly remember one of my aunts and my friend dealing with. I wish that they would have had this book to help them understand what was happening to them or to even justify some of the feelings they were having in what Madhulika calls ‘cancerland’. The book is quite literally an A-Z guide and Madhulika presents everything in a very clear, very personal, and very practical manner. She makes it ok for the cancer patient to feel as crappy as they do most days. She addresses things like the anxiety, fear, and guilt that comes with diagnoses. She talks about what to expect during and even after breast cancer. It really is an indispensable guide for those dealing with breast cancer. From firsthand experience of being the family member helping a loved one deal with their diagnosis I have to say that I wish we had this book to help deal with many of the issues that came up.
I love the personal and conversational tone of this book as well as how it looks. It even has pages in the back of it for those all important notes you need to make yourself or for your loved one because the wealth of information you are receiving is overwhelming. I was lucky to have both the beautiful hard cover edition of this book as well as being able to listen to the audiobook. The audiobook is wonderful. It is narrated by Madhulika herself and she has a beautiful and soothing voice which made it very easy to listen to. What I loved about the audio is that I felt more connected to Madhulika and what she went through as she is personally relating it to her listeners in her own words and emotions which is very powerful.
Whether it be the book or the audio I highly recommend this beautiful little book to anyone dealing with breast cancer and to their loved ones. It’s both comforting and empowering to understand what is happening to you and around you. To Madhulika I wish you all the best and a continued cancer free check up in the years to come! Highly recommended!
Other tour stops with TLC Book Tours
Add to your Goodreads List
Author’s Website
Buy at: Amazon, Amazon Canada, B&N
GIVEAWAY – OPEN TO US & CANADIAN RESIDENTS
1 copy up for giveaway!
*CLICK HERE* and fill out the form to enter
Draw Date October 18/14
(comments are welcome but do not count as an entry)
You are so right – cancer affects more than the patient. Family and friends are in on the fight too. Great review today and Sammy is looking particularly dapper.
Lovely review, and I’m so happy to see Sammy!
I like that the author not only narrates the book but does such a good job with it. That makes a huge difference for me when I’m listening to a personal book like this one.
Thanks for being a part of the tour!