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Never Stop Believing
When Sally Obermeder woke up on 13th October 2011, she thought her life was perfect. She had a glamorous, successful career as a reporter for Australian nightly news show Today Tonight , she had a wonderful husband and she was about to give birth to her baby, who she had conceived through IVF following years of struggle to conceive naturally. Finally, she had everything she had ever wanted. But then, during a routine appointment with her obstetrician, Sally was told she had a severe form of breast cancer. Her baby had to be induced and treatment needed to begin immediately. This was the start of the hardest year of Sally's life. A year where she would be tested to the very limits and would be forced to fight for her life. A year on Sally has a gorgeous baby girl and is finally on the mend. Following her second mastectomy in September, she received the good news that she is now cancer free. Despite her life changing struggle and the hardships she has had to endure, Sally is one of the warmest, most vibrant people. She was determined to beat cancer. And now she is determined to help others. Sally is a wonderfully inspirational person whose story is filled with raw honesty but also love, laughter, and warmth.
320 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2013
3 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 30, 2013
Sally Obermeder is an Australian TV reporter who specializes on fashion and entertainment stories (she describes herself to a Australian Guiliana Rancic). She has what many would describe as a dream job, interviewing Jon Bon Jovi and Beyonce, mixing with the rich and famous. However as she explains in this book, the job didn't fall into her lap - instead, it took many years of busting her gut to even get a foot in the TV door. Then when she finally had it made on the career front, she had problems with infertility - trying for six years before finally falling pregnant via IVF. At this point she really felt that things in her life had all come together - until she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer when 41 weeks pregnant. Almost immediately her baby was induced and she started a very aggressive programme of chemotherapy.
The reason that I bought this book was because someone very close to me has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and I was wondering if this would be a good book to give them. I was shocked to read about the realities of chemo and how brutal it is. It was something I obviously knew but I had never been exposed to the details before. Sally doesn't hold back from describing how traumatic her experience has been and how hideous and frightening the battle with cancer is. But throughout her warmth and humor and courage also shines through, so it becomes quite an inspiring book.
The reason that I've given it only three stars is because I felt strongly that it was in need of a good edit. It felt like a large part of the reason why she'd written the book was to say thank you to her friends and family for their support. This is lovely but I don't need pages about how wonderful someone is when I have never heard of them. There was also lots of detail that added nothing and could have been cut out - stories about how she bought not one but two baby buggies, clothes she wore on various occasions etc. I didn't really know who she was when I started reading the book so perhaps true fans might revel in these details, but I felt that the book could easily have been 50 pages shorter and it would have been the better for it.
The reason that I bought this book was because someone very close to me has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and I was wondering if this would be a good book to give them. I was shocked to read about the realities of chemo and how brutal it is. It was something I obviously knew but I had never been exposed to the details before. Sally doesn't hold back from describing how traumatic her experience has been and how hideous and frightening the battle with cancer is. But throughout her warmth and humor and courage also shines through, so it becomes quite an inspiring book.
The reason that I've given it only three stars is because I felt strongly that it was in need of a good edit. It felt like a large part of the reason why she'd written the book was to say thank you to her friends and family for their support. This is lovely but I don't need pages about how wonderful someone is when I have never heard of them. There was also lots of detail that added nothing and could have been cut out - stories about how she bought not one but two baby buggies, clothes she wore on various occasions etc. I didn't really know who she was when I started reading the book so perhaps true fans might revel in these details, but I felt that the book could easily have been 50 pages shorter and it would have been the better for it.
July 1, 2013
Never Stop Believing is TV reporter Sally Obermeder’s autobiographical celebration of surviving a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer. In 2011, Obermeder was living the dream! She had a glamorous career as an entertainment reporter and was blessed with a baby on the way after a long struggle to conceive. During a routine appointment with her obstetrician, Sally’s world was turned upside down leaving her fighting for her life during her precious baby’s first year. The book begins as a traditional autobiography, where we learn about Sally’s origins and inspirations. She sets up a context for the family and friends who would later become an invaluable support network. Any story of illness and the harsh experience of treatment and recovery is touching, but the timing for Obermeder – as she also struggled with the needs of a new baby – makes this one especially moving. The Anne Geddes image of Sally and her daughter during treatment will stay with you.
This review has also appeared at http://thischarmingmum.com
This review has also appeared at http://thischarmingmum.com
September 5, 2024
I thought this would be a different book
Wow, what a journey this woman has been on, and so young.
I thought I was buying a book that provided the background to Swiish, the philosophy behind it etc, not this incredibly honest account of this intense, grueling, and sometimes horrific period of Sally's life.
I don't think I'll ever forget your description of chemo. It's a word that's mentioned so frequently that it's true horror has been normalized. I'm so glad to have read this book and fully understand what people with cancer are going through... my burst appendix, my years of chronic suffering and recovery have been a walk in the park... well not a pretty park ... but... we all deserve happiness and joy, and it was so touching to read that Sally's initial response was to look at what she had done to deserve this... I think we all do the same... as children we learn that we hurt ourselves because we didn't pay attention, so it must be our fault and if we can just work out what we did, it would magically get better. But life is about the experience, and where the experience takes you, and I'm so glad that this experience took Sally yo such a great place in the end. Amazing.
Wow, what a journey this woman has been on, and so young.
I thought I was buying a book that provided the background to Swiish, the philosophy behind it etc, not this incredibly honest account of this intense, grueling, and sometimes horrific period of Sally's life.
I don't think I'll ever forget your description of chemo. It's a word that's mentioned so frequently that it's true horror has been normalized. I'm so glad to have read this book and fully understand what people with cancer are going through... my burst appendix, my years of chronic suffering and recovery have been a walk in the park... well not a pretty park ... but... we all deserve happiness and joy, and it was so touching to read that Sally's initial response was to look at what she had done to deserve this... I think we all do the same... as children we learn that we hurt ourselves because we didn't pay attention, so it must be our fault and if we can just work out what we did, it would magically get better. But life is about the experience, and where the experience takes you, and I'm so glad that this experience took Sally yo such a great place in the end. Amazing.
January 19, 2019
Ok so I was really looking forward to this but sadly I found it a bit long winded and skipped a bit..
However I have given 3 stars purely for the fact she is a amazing lady who went through so much but remained positive a d I feel this book could be comfort to others going through similar things.
However I have given 3 stars purely for the fact she is a amazing lady who went through so much but remained positive a d I feel this book could be comfort to others going through similar things.
May 4, 2013
Never Stop Believing, a befitting title for a book that inspires, motivates and has you believing you can achieve anything.
Sally Obermeder is one of those woman who have experienced the lows and highs of life and used every single one of them to her best advantage. In Never Stop Believing Sally shows that she is just a woman like everyone else but with a determination and a love for life that she used to help her struggle through what she was given.
‘In Never Stop Believing, Sally relives her transformative year and takes us back to her earlier days, before her career in television. This is her story of growing up, trying to find her place in the world, battling weight issues and overcoming challenges to enter the industry in which she so desperately wanted to work. It is also her story of spending years struggling to have a baby, eventually making the decision to use IVF to conceive her beautiful daughter and ultimately winning her battle with cancer’
My initial reaction to this book was that of not another cancer story written by a TV personality. Those who are familiar with my reviews will know I loathe books that are published due to the notoriety of the author or those written by journalists who too often produce a dry media read. How wrong I was with Never Stop Believing. This is not the tale of a TV personality who decided to use their unfortunate battle to make money but the tale of a woman who had my emotions flowing. Sally Obermeder writes with professionalism, style and flow. She held my interest from the beginning to the end, allowing me to travel smoothly through her life and relate to it on a woman to woman basis. Sally Obermeder inspires. The if I can you can too messages is spoken loud and clear in Never Stop Believing.
The thing I loved about this book was its ability to take me from one emotion to another so smoothly, not leaving me feeling like I was on a rollercoaster but on a cloud floating, looking down on the story as it unfolded. I laughed, cried and felt the love and pain as I turned the pages. Never Stop Believing is one of those books you just want to keep reading.
One can only imagine the way Sally and Marcus felt when, at 41 weeks pregnant, she was told she had stage three breast cancer and would be induced immediately. For Sally and Marcus this should have been a time of celebration. A time to hold that baby they had waited so long for and had traveled the road of IVF for. How does one deal with bringing a baby into this world faced with the uncertainty of the length of your life ahead of you? For Sally Obermeder it was with sadness and unknown quantities but it was also with the love for her daughter and immense support from her husband, family and friends who rallied around her.
Never Stop Believing is on my highly recommended list for women. It will move you, change your outlook on life, make you feel blessed for each day but above all encourage you to live life to the fullest and with love in your heart. Never Stop Believing is a celebration of life. Sally Obermeder is a true inspiration to women worldwide.
Sally Obermeder is one of those woman who have experienced the lows and highs of life and used every single one of them to her best advantage. In Never Stop Believing Sally shows that she is just a woman like everyone else but with a determination and a love for life that she used to help her struggle through what she was given.
‘In Never Stop Believing, Sally relives her transformative year and takes us back to her earlier days, before her career in television. This is her story of growing up, trying to find her place in the world, battling weight issues and overcoming challenges to enter the industry in which she so desperately wanted to work. It is also her story of spending years struggling to have a baby, eventually making the decision to use IVF to conceive her beautiful daughter and ultimately winning her battle with cancer’
My initial reaction to this book was that of not another cancer story written by a TV personality. Those who are familiar with my reviews will know I loathe books that are published due to the notoriety of the author or those written by journalists who too often produce a dry media read. How wrong I was with Never Stop Believing. This is not the tale of a TV personality who decided to use their unfortunate battle to make money but the tale of a woman who had my emotions flowing. Sally Obermeder writes with professionalism, style and flow. She held my interest from the beginning to the end, allowing me to travel smoothly through her life and relate to it on a woman to woman basis. Sally Obermeder inspires. The if I can you can too messages is spoken loud and clear in Never Stop Believing.
The thing I loved about this book was its ability to take me from one emotion to another so smoothly, not leaving me feeling like I was on a rollercoaster but on a cloud floating, looking down on the story as it unfolded. I laughed, cried and felt the love and pain as I turned the pages. Never Stop Believing is one of those books you just want to keep reading.
One can only imagine the way Sally and Marcus felt when, at 41 weeks pregnant, she was told she had stage three breast cancer and would be induced immediately. For Sally and Marcus this should have been a time of celebration. A time to hold that baby they had waited so long for and had traveled the road of IVF for. How does one deal with bringing a baby into this world faced with the uncertainty of the length of your life ahead of you? For Sally Obermeder it was with sadness and unknown quantities but it was also with the love for her daughter and immense support from her husband, family and friends who rallied around her.
Never Stop Believing is on my highly recommended list for women. It will move you, change your outlook on life, make you feel blessed for each day but above all encourage you to live life to the fullest and with love in your heart. Never Stop Believing is a celebration of life. Sally Obermeder is a true inspiration to women worldwide.
August 27, 2013
Is a truly inspiring book, not only about her journey with Breast Cancer but about her determination to achieve. I did find some bits a little long winded but overall found it a great book. Her emotions and experiences of chemo were very accurate and didn't hold back, especially the emotional ups and downs. As a breast cancer survivor it bought me to tears on many occasions. Highly recommend.
December 20, 2016
Great book and quite inspiring. I think my expectations were a bit high, plus I do sometimes find it hard to relate to people in an elevated financial status, so probably my own fault that I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I'd hoped to.
April 14, 2015
Loved it. Such an inspiration story about determination and Sally's struggles.
May 27, 2013
I think I cried for most of the 364 pages. A truly inspiring and amazing woman.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews