Living and Dying with Cancer

Living and Dying with Cancer is a powerful and moving account of the experiences of those affected by one of the most common causes of death in the Western world. Through a series of individual narratives based on extensive interviews carried out by the author, the book explores the impact of being diagnosed with cancer on those with the disease and the people around them. It follows the different trajectories of the disease from the very first symptoms, through treatment to death and shows how the experience of the disease and even the way it develops is affected by the social context of the people involved, as well as their own physical and psychological characteristics. This book will be an invaluable resource not only for social scientists and health professionals but also for those coming to terms with the impact of cancer on their own lives.

• Accessible and moving account of people diagnosed with and dying of cancer • Places death and dying within a social context • Draws on compelling empirical research ranging from longitudinal interviews to hospice based case studies

Preface: Opening the silence; Acknowledgements; Introduction; 1. Mortality in modern culture; 2. Stage 1 - Departure; 3. Stage 2- Exploration; 4. Stage 3 - Anticipation; 5. Stage 4 - Destination; Last Words; References; Index.

\'… allows us a glimpse of some of the most personal and sensitive issues … there are important messages for those who work in medical oncology and palliative care …\'The value of this book is in what the patients have to say. Anyone who works in palliative care will benefit from listening to them and it should be required reading for anyone training in medical or radiation oncology.’ International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care e-Newsletter

\'The book is timely, in the current climate of \'user involvement\' and interest in narrative. It will be attractive to those interested in how to carry out and report narrative research, to health professionals caring for these patients and to people coming to terms with their own cancer journey … Whilst the book is poignant and yes, made me cry, it is primarily a positive book, a hopeful book and a fitting tribute to the everyday heroes it celebrates.\' Palliative Medicine

\'… this is an excellent book. The text is easy to read with frequent theoretical commentary citing research and opinions from wide-ranging bibliography.\' Pain Talk

\'… lives are richly and delightfully illustrated through eloquent prose that captures the essence of those lives so that we all may learn from them. … There are important messages contained in the text for health professionals and families alike. … This book should be recommended reading for students of all professions where the care of people who are dying is a possibility. … Angela Armstrong-Coster was given a great gift by those she interviewed and she has passed it on to us in an enhanced and enriched way.\' Mortality