This past Breast Cancer Awareness Month, as part of our “It’s OK, Not to be OK” campaign, we created an Outcomes4Me Book Club for the first time. We did this to showcase the work of authors whose words had been either comforting or informative for the breast cancer patients on our team at Outcomes4Me during their own breast cancer treatment or survivorship. You can learn more about those books here.

Today, we’re sharing a few other books that you might want to consider reserving from your local library. And, a tip! If your library uses the Libby app, see if you can read any of these digitally for free. 

1. The Middle Place: Author Kelly Corrigan documents her experience learning of her own breast cancer diagnosis while also acting as a caregiver to her father, diagnosed with late-stage cancer as she was also navigating her disease. The time period during actively raising your children while also caring for aging parents is often referred to as the “sandwich generation.” The Middle Place explores the emotional and physical complexities of operating in that space, while also working to prioritize your own health while experiencing a serious illness.
2. No Longer Radical: Understanding Mastectomies and Choosing the Breast Cancer Care That’s Right for You: Two physicians from George Washington University came together to write this guide about both breast cancer detection and selecting the right treatment option. Dr. Rachel Brem is a breast radiologist and Dr. Christy Teal is a breast surgeon; Dr. Brem diagnosed her own breast cancer at age 37 while Dr. Teal underwent preventative mastectomies. They come together with their professional and personal experiences with breast cancer to offer a thoughtful, evidence-based overview of treatment options and their implications that all patients can learn from.
3. This is CancerEverything You Need to Know, from the Waiting Room to the Bedroom: This honest, “how to” manual follows the style of pregnancy and parenting handbooks–except, its content focuses on navigating your cancer experience. Author Laura Holmes Haddad was diagnosed with Stage IV inflammatory breast cancer at 37 years old, and given 3-5 years to live. She entered a clinical trial, and is doing well 11 years later. She pours her lessons learned around both treatment options and self-advocacy into this compelling book. 

Let us know if you pick any of these books to read or have other book club recommendations for breast cancer patients by leaving a note with your thoughts on this post in the Outcomes4Me Community!