Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15520 in Books
• Published on: 1999-01-07
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Synopsis
Drawing on his clinical experience Dr Bernie Siegel shows how, by reaching out to others, people can alleviate stress and release the body's healing mechanism. He shows that when apparently terminal patients take control of their illness they can change, enrich and sometimes prolong their lives.

Customer Reviews

How To Be A Better Cancer Survivor
Bernie Siegel is the founder of ECAP (Exceptional Cancer Patients) and much of this book is drawn from his experiences with these patients. The purpose of the book is to help cancer survivors to become exceptional patients who learn to embrace life more fully and live longer. Usually these patients are able to take control of their lives and treatments in partnership with their doctors. There is a connection between mind and body which can be exploited in order to maximize chances for recovery. The will to live is very important in this process. In arguably the most interesting chapter of the text, the author describes the characteristics of exceptional patients and other notable survivors. The book provides much information and hope which anyone battling cancer will find uplifting.

Blaming the victims
This obscene perversion of medical fact has used a handfull of doubtful studies and twisted it into the dispicable message that having cancer is the fault of the patient and not getting better is ALSO the fault of the patient. The studies quoted suggest that stress and/or positive thinking has a tiny effect on the survival rates of cancer patients, but this infinitesimal effect is blown out of all proportion by Siegal to support his disgusting ideas that disease is a result of a lack of spirituality and all patients can cure themselves though self-love. Siegal, amazingly, argues that if you have cancer, its because you are repressing your feelings or have been taught to associate illness with reward (he quotes cards and grapes!). This rubbish sends the implicit message to the reader that having cancer is therefore your own fault and not being able to spontaneously cure yourself of cancer is also your fault by not being "courageous" or "loving yourself" enough. I cannot condemn this atrocious right-wing creed enough. Do NOT buy this abominable book!

This book is indeed a miracle of compassion and love
Bernie Seigel is a man of overwhelming compassion and good sense. I have just bought yet another copy of this wonderful book to give to yet another friend who is embarking on the minefield which is breast cancer, a path I first trod in 1994 and when a friend recommended this wonderful book I read and re-read it through certain times of my journery through cancer and out the other end. I related to so much of the content that at last I felt I was NOT alone and others had been here before me and survived. We are the lucky ones, I have many friends that I made through this journery who are no longer with us but they gained great strength through reading this book and it enabled them to change the time they had left and make every day count. I do not know why some of us survive longer than others but we can all make a change to our lives that will enhance it along the way. I know I have changed my life in so many ways and my attitudes have changed greatly, I always say and people find this hard to believe but cancer bought more to me that it every took away and this book certainly helped set me on this hopeful path. This book is a MUST for anyone who is forced to confront their own mortality "A truly life changing book" PLEASE READ IT SOON.