Looking Forward

Nine adults tell their stories of having cancer as children and surviving. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, rhabdomyosarcoma, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, chondrosarcoma, ganglioneuroblastoma, and malignant brain tumour are discussed in some detail. The stories are grim and painful, but ultimately positive, with emphasis in all cases on living life fully. As one young adult says: ‘cancer was not the end of my life, just my life as I knew it.’ There is emphasis also on the importance of talking to other sufferers and joining organisations such as the CLIC Sargent groups for young cancer patients. A detailed glossary and a quite comprehensive list of useful contacts, both for children with cancer and for survivors of childhood cancer, are given. The book is available free from the Child Cancer Helpline (0800 1970068) or from www.clicsargent.org.uk and should be in all hospital oncology units that deal with teenagers.