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Brett M. Cordes

Goodreads Author

Website

https://cancerisforolderpeople.com/

Twitter

https://twitter.com/canceris4oldppl

Genre

Memoir, Nonfiction, Self Help

Member Since

February 2020

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/cancerisforolderpeople

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This book, Cancer is for Old(er) People, began in 1997, when I wrote extensively about my experience battling Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. That writing has stayed, untouched, at my parent’s house in Louisiana for the last 2 decades. I had entitled it “Cancer is For Old People,” as it was written BY a teenager/young person…FOR young people.

My very close and oldest childhood friend, Amy Calkins Teague, who literally grew up across the street from me in Baton Rouge, was diagnosed and battled Ovarian cancer from 2014-2018….she is currently in remission! In March of this year, I encouraged her to write about her experience, and boy did she! We are heavily involved in each other’s story in switching roles as both patient and friend/confidant.

My experi This book, Cancer is for Old(er) People, began in 1997, when I wrote extensively about my experience battling Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. That writing has stayed, untouched, at my parent’s house in Louisiana for the last 2 decades. I had entitled it “Cancer is For Old People,” as it was written BY a teenager/young person…FOR young people.

My very close and oldest childhood friend, Amy Calkins Teague, who literally grew up across the street from me in Baton Rouge, was diagnosed and battled Ovarian cancer from 2014-2018….she is currently in remission! In March of this year, I encouraged her to write about her experience, and boy did she! We are heavily involved in each other’s story in switching roles as both patient and friend/confidant.

My experience led, among other things, to my becoming a doctor and for the opportunity and blessing for Katie (my wife) and me to adopt two wonderful children into our family. Amy has volunteered extensively in Baton Rouge in a variety of ways, and has been a model patient and advocate within the local community. Her picture has been on the billboard for the Baton Rouge Cancer Center, she is the subject of a promotional video for the treatment facility, and she spends a great deal of time advocating for and supporting cancer patients in the community.

Another good friend of mine, Kyle Moses, was diagnosed with a rare Germ Cell Tumor in 2012 and battled it for 2 years, ultimately culminating in TWO Stem Cell Transplants. He is an Army veteran and credits, along with his Christian faith, the Army and his training for his resulting survival. He tells his story in a straightforward, matter-of-fact style that boasts a dry humor and just a skosh… of cynicism. He has said that “My boys tell me that post-cancer dad is better than pre-cancer dad!”

The book has several themes but two main ones are: 1) the often-times undervalued, yet heroic, role of the caregiver and how cancer affects the patient AND their family and loved ones alike and, 2) how even the most “inspirational” and “good” cancer patients have deep, raw, angry, frustrating, and embarrassing moments and feelings that often are hidden from others…but felt by all! And we feel that patients should never feel guilty or ashamed for having such feelings, as they are almost universal for most people stricken with this terrible disease.

I tie our stories together and also reflect on my writings and experiences from 22 years ago. ...more

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Brett M. Cordes's Blog

This is What Samson and a Cancer Patient Have in Common

By Amy Calkins Teague

I was born with a normal amount of hair. It was thin, duck down, soft blonde hair that thickened as I grew. By the time I was 4, I had beautiful, long, straight blonde hair with natural highlights. I always kept my hair long as it was, in my opinion, my best feature. My friends were always complimenting me on my hair. “What shampoo do you use?” or “Who cuts your hair?”

Whi

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Brett M. Cordes’s books

Average rating: 4.85 · 13 ratings · 9 reviews · 2 distinct works

	Cancer Is for Older People: How Young Minds Beat an Old Disease by Brett M. Cordes (Goodreads Author), Amy Calkins Teague, Kyle Moses 4.85 avg rating — 13 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cancer Is for Old(er) People: How Young Minds Beat an Old Disease by Brett M. Cordes (Goodreads Author), Amy Calkins Teague, Kyle Moses 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Quotes by Brett M. Cordes (?)

“When I was initially diagnosed with cancer, I questioned God's reasoning for giving me such a debilitating disease. But then it dawned on me: He chose me to give this disease because He knew that I could handle it!”
― Brett M. Cordes, Cancer Is for Older People: How Young Minds Beat an Old Disease

tags: cancer, cancer-fighter, cancer-journey, cancer-patients, cancer-quotes, cancer-survivor, cancer-survivors, faith

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“You must realize that having cancer affects not only you, but everyone who cares for you as well. I had realized this after only one year of treatment, but I don't think I've ever truly understood how hard the experience was for my family.”
― Brett M. Cordes, Cancer Is for Older People: How Young Minds Beat an Old Disease

tags: cancer, cancer-journey, cancer-quotes, cancer-survivors, family

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“If I had to summarize it with one word it would be HOPE. Never lose hope.”
― Brett M. Cordes, Cancer Is for Older People: How Young Minds Beat an Old Disease

tags: cancer, cancer-journey, cancer-quotes, cancer-survivors, hope, hope-quotes, hopeful

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Brett’s Quotes

“We went to different schools, but none-the-less, he was my very first friend.”
― Brett M. Cordes, Cancer Is for Older People: How Young Minds Beat an Old Disease

tags: friends, friendship, frienship-quotesp

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“Inside I was freaking out! OMG! His hair is falling out! This just got real.”
― Brett M. Cordes, Cancer Is for Older People: How Young Minds Beat an Old Disease

tags: cancer, cancer-fighter, cancer-journey, cancer-quotes, cancer-survivor, cancer-survivors, hair

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“Depression set in. I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, I couldn't concentrate at work. I didn't want to get out of bed.”
― Brett M. Cordes, Cancer Is for Older People: How Young Minds Beat an Old Disease

tags: cancer-journey, cancer-quotes, cancer-survivor, depression, depression-quotes

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“Mrs. Teague, I am sorry, but you have metastatic Ovarian Cancer."

After about a minute or two, I turned back to him and looked at him and said, "No, I have two small children!”
― Brett M. Cordes, Cancer Is for Older People: How Young Minds Beat an Old Disease

tags: cancer, cancer-fighter, cancer-journey, cancer-quotes, cancer-survivor, children, ovarian-cancer, parenting

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“I was given fluid and another blood transfusion, after which I felt like I could conquer the world! This process would become my normal: chemo, get horribly sick, trip to Assessment, fluid, blood transfusion, feel better.”
― Brett M. Cordes, Cancer Is for Older People: How Young Minds Beat an Old Disease

tags: blood-transfusion, cancer, cancer-fighter, cancer-journey, cancer-patients, cancer-quotes, cancer-survivors

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