Barb's Miracle: How Barb Tarbox Transformed Her Deadly Cancer into a Lifesaving Crusade

Barb Tarbox was a 41 year old mother and housewife when she was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in the fall of 2002. The disease was the result of a 30 year old 2 pack a day smoking habit. She was told she'd die within months, leaving behind her young daughter and husband. Barb began visiting high schools, showing kids exactly how smoking kills. Over the next nine months she addressed more than 50, 000 kids accross Canada, being hailed as a national hero.

Her story caught the attention of Montel Williams who featured her on his show and vowed to revisit her story every year for as long as he can. A special on her life was aired onGlobal TV. In this book, Barb Tarbox's legacy continues, inspiring people to give up smoking and help others do the same.

Journalists David Staples and Greg Southam followed Barb Tarboxthrough the nine month crusade. The story is rendered in tis book in words by Staples and stark black and white images by Southam.

Writer David Staples is the best-selling co-author of the 1995 non-fiction thriller, THE THIRD SUSPECT: INSIDE THE HUNT FOR THE YELLOWKNIFE MINE MURDERER, the story of the 1992 Northwest Territories gold mine strike, mass murder and RCMP investigation. In 2002, Staples' profile of Worldcom CEO, and accused fraud artist, Bernie Ebbers of Mississippi was selected by 'New Yorker' editor James Surowiecki for the ‘Best Crime Writing of the Year’ book. A veteran columnist at the Edmonton Journal, Staples has won a National Newspaper Award and two National Magazine awards.

Photojournalist Greg Southam has been with The Edmonton Journal since 1988. He was awarded two National Newspaper Award certificates of merit for his work, the first time any photographer has received two awards of such distinction in one year. Greg was also named "Canadian Sports Photographer of the Year." He followed Barb Tarbox from the beginning of her crusade, spent hundreds of hours with her and her family, and captured her story in hundreds of pictures. The photographic series was honoured with the Canadian Association of Journalists’ top award for Photo-Journalism on May 8, 2004.