Surviving the Cancer System: An Empowering Guide to Taking Control of Your Care

As a program development director for a hospice organization, I was especially grateful for Dr. Fesen's comprehensive overview of the cancer system. His work gives ready access to professionals who work with patients and need a wide-angle lens on the subject. Despite my 25 years as a pastor, my work as a hospice chaplain, and my work as a program development director, much of what Dr. Fesen wrote about was unknown to me. Anyone wishing to gain a working knowledge on all facets of the cancer system - from pharmaceuticals, to treatment options, to participation in clinical trials, etc., - will find it here. Dr. Fesen, though a brilliant oncologist, writes in a style that anyone with serious interest and a layperson's aptitude can understand. Moreover, he exposes much that escapes detection, i.e., aspects that would typically leave the cancer patient exposed to exploitation either through ignorance or questionable decision-making in the pursuit of exotic solutions. The book is candid, useful, and thorough - not another one like it that I know of. Should be read by anyone aspiring to care-giving who has a non-medical background, and probably should be read by many of those practicing medicine as a point of accountability within the system itself. Needless to say, anyone with cancer in the family or recently diagnosed with cancer will find this book a welcome read in terms of developing a game plan/strategy for the difficult road ahead. - Mike Hambley, Program Development Director, Hospice & HomeCare of Reno County