When Your Life Is Touched by Cancer : Practical Advice and Insights for Patients, Professionals, and Those Who Care

The best path through cancer is different for each individual. A cancer survivor himself, Bob Riter addresses the issues that accompany a cancer diagnosis. His suggestions follow the cancer-patient experience, from initial diagnosis through treatment and posttreatment, with a special section devoted to supporting others with cancer. In short, clear sections, Riter addresses

• how to have conversations about cancer with friends, family and doctors
• breaking the news to parents and children, including tips on what to say
• separating what can be done from what should be done
• conventional, complementary and alternative treatment options 
• the often-difficult period when treatment ends 

When Your Life Is Touched by Cancer is also a valuable resource for everyone who cares about a cancer patient and wants to learn ways to support her or him while dealing with their own emotions. Doctors, too, will benefit from the insights on doctor-patient interactions. 

Designed to be picked up and read as needed, When Your Life Is Touched by Cancer is a resource you can turn to in moments of crisis or calm, when you are looking for immediate comfort or the tools to move forward.

Bob Riter is the Executive Director of the Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes in Ithaca, NY, an organization that provides support, information, and community to people affected by cancer. His involvement in the cancer community began in 1996 when he was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 40. Bob writes about cancer from a variety of perspectives in his column for the Ithaca Journal and his essays have appeared in Newsweek and CR Magazine. He routinely speaks to college classes, civic organizations, and professional groups about the human side of cancer. A native of Huntington, West Virginia, Bob received a master's degree in health services administration from the University of Michigan. He is currently a member of the New York State Health Research Science Board, and was the winner of the 2006 Innovation in Breast Cancer Research and Education Award in the health professional category from the New York State Innovation in Breast Cancer Research and Education Program.