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Big Boob: Finding Hope and Optimism Through Inflammatory Breast Cancer
She was 35 and had a 39% chance of surviving breast cancer, but she wasn’t going to let those odds stop her. Big Boob is a raw, witty, and wildly relatable story of what it means to survive when you’re too young for cancer and too stubborn to go quietly.
At 35, Emily Jungblut was a healthy woman living an energetic and engaged life when she felt something very wrong in the shower. She had always examined her own breasts, and this wasn’t what her boobs had always felt like—one seemed swollen and larger.
Pushing through the medical system and advocating for herself to get some answers, Emily got the diagnosis she She had a rare and aggressive form of inflammatory breast cancer with a survival rate that was—as one of her doctors poetically put it—“not great.” So Emily dove into her treatment with open-eyed realism. Sometimes, knowing the worst-case scenario is what helps you face the odds and keep going.
Big Boob is a brutally honest and surprisingly funny memoir about confronting a terrifying diagnosis with ferocious optimism and sanity-saving sarcasm. From receiving her own funeral cards to decoding signs from beyond the grave, Emily charts a path through illness and recovery that includes grief, hope, and some truly questionable casseroles.
More than a cancer memoir, this is a guidebook for laughing through hell, navigating the ups and downs of treatment, and building a support system that actually supports you. Whether it’s the magic of true friendships, strangely intuitive cats, or a bird’s nest outside your window, Big Boob will inspire you to find joy and keep going.
For breast cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, or anyone who needs a laugh during a rough season, Big Boob will make you feel seen—and maybe even a little stronger.
At 35, Emily Jungblut was a healthy woman living an energetic and engaged life when she felt something very wrong in the shower. She had always examined her own breasts, and this wasn’t what her boobs had always felt like—one seemed swollen and larger.
Pushing through the medical system and advocating for herself to get some answers, Emily got the diagnosis she She had a rare and aggressive form of inflammatory breast cancer with a survival rate that was—as one of her doctors poetically put it—“not great.” So Emily dove into her treatment with open-eyed realism. Sometimes, knowing the worst-case scenario is what helps you face the odds and keep going.
Big Boob is a brutally honest and surprisingly funny memoir about confronting a terrifying diagnosis with ferocious optimism and sanity-saving sarcasm. From receiving her own funeral cards to decoding signs from beyond the grave, Emily charts a path through illness and recovery that includes grief, hope, and some truly questionable casseroles.
More than a cancer memoir, this is a guidebook for laughing through hell, navigating the ups and downs of treatment, and building a support system that actually supports you. Whether it’s the magic of true friendships, strangely intuitive cats, or a bird’s nest outside your window, Big Boob will inspire you to find joy and keep going.
For breast cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, or anyone who needs a laugh during a rough season, Big Boob will make you feel seen—and maybe even a little stronger.
221 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 21, 2026
11 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 17, 2026
If you or a loved one is going through Breast Cancer, I highly recommend this book. Emily takes us on her journey and doesn’t leave out any of the messy details. This book is raw, vulnerable, and real. One page would have me laughing and the next would leave me sobbing.
Throughout the book, she shows us exactly what she went through along with glimpses into how her family and husband supported her. I think this is a great read not only for those who are struggling to find answers and hope when faced with their own cancer diagnosis, but also for the caregivers, family, and friends who are there to support as well.
Throughout the book, she shows us exactly what she went through along with glimpses into how her family and husband supported her. I think this is a great read not only for those who are struggling to find answers and hope when faced with their own cancer diagnosis, but also for the caregivers, family, and friends who are there to support as well.
January 23, 2026
Received an ARC copy from the author ✍️
Big Boob is a powerful reminder that anything can happen to anyone...and that you can survive.
Emily Jungblut was a healthy 35-year-old living in Salt Lake City with her husband when she found a lump in the shower. In an instant, her life was forever changed. With no family history and a healthy lifestyle, she was diagnosed with one of the most aggressive and deadly forms of breast cancer.
This book is an emotional, eye-opening read. Like so many women, I had no real understanding of what chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, radiation, and surviving cancer truly entail. Emily shares it all with honesty and rawness...nothing sugar-coated.
What stood out most to me was the circle of support she describes and how friendships shift, deepen, and sometimes sadly disappear in the face of illness. Big Boob is heartbreaking, hopeful, and deeply human. I’m so proud of my friend for telling her story, and it’s one that will stay with me for a long time.
Big Boob is a powerful reminder that anything can happen to anyone...and that you can survive.
Emily Jungblut was a healthy 35-year-old living in Salt Lake City with her husband when she found a lump in the shower. In an instant, her life was forever changed. With no family history and a healthy lifestyle, she was diagnosed with one of the most aggressive and deadly forms of breast cancer.
This book is an emotional, eye-opening read. Like so many women, I had no real understanding of what chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, radiation, and surviving cancer truly entail. Emily shares it all with honesty and rawness...nothing sugar-coated.
What stood out most to me was the circle of support she describes and how friendships shift, deepen, and sometimes sadly disappear in the face of illness. Big Boob is heartbreaking, hopeful, and deeply human. I’m so proud of my friend for telling her story, and it’s one that will stay with me for a long time.
January 23, 2026
Big Boob made me feel a lot—in the best and hardest ways. I learned so much about inflammatory breast cancer that I genuinely didn’t know before, and I’m grateful for that education. The book moved me to tears more than once, but it also made me laugh out loud. Through it all, I felt hope.
What stood out most to me was the author’s sense of humor and the strength of her soul. Even while walking through something unimaginably heavy, she brings honesty, wit, and humanity to every page. Chapters 40 and 41—“People Say Weird Things” and “People Say Supportive Things”—especially stuck with me. They perfectly captured the strange, awkward, and beautiful ways people show up during hard times.
The vibe of this book is raw, honest, emotional, and surprisingly funny. It’s the kind of memoir that makes you cry, nod along, feel seen, and then feel lighter somehow by the end. It reminded me how powerful humor and truth can be, even in the middle of fear and uncertainty.
I would recommend Big Boob to anyone who needs hope wrapped in humor—survivors, caregivers, friends of someone going through cancer, or anyone who loves a deeply honest memoir about resilience and the human experience. This book stays with you, and I’m so proud of her for sharing her story so bravely.
What stood out most to me was the author’s sense of humor and the strength of her soul. Even while walking through something unimaginably heavy, she brings honesty, wit, and humanity to every page. Chapters 40 and 41—“People Say Weird Things” and “People Say Supportive Things”—especially stuck with me. They perfectly captured the strange, awkward, and beautiful ways people show up during hard times.
The vibe of this book is raw, honest, emotional, and surprisingly funny. It’s the kind of memoir that makes you cry, nod along, feel seen, and then feel lighter somehow by the end. It reminded me how powerful humor and truth can be, even in the middle of fear and uncertainty.
I would recommend Big Boob to anyone who needs hope wrapped in humor—survivors, caregivers, friends of someone going through cancer, or anyone who loves a deeply honest memoir about resilience and the human experience. This book stays with you, and I’m so proud of her for sharing her story so bravely.
January 23, 2026
The subtitle of this memoir could not be more fitting. Big Boob is, at its core, a story about finding hope and optimism in the midst of the unimaginable. Reading it feels like sitting across from Emily with a cup of tea, listening as she gently but honestly recounts her journey with Inflammatory Breast Cancer, the serene Utah Rockies stretching quietly in the background.
Having known several women in my own life who have battled various forms of breast cancer, Emily’s story offers an intimate, unfiltered glimpse into both the emotional and physical realities of diagnosis, treatment, and remission. Her storytelling is deeply human—raw without being overwhelming, reflective without losing its warmth.
I found myself feeling immense pride in Emily—not only for the strength and resilience she showed throughout her experience, but for her courage in choosing to share such a traumatic and deeply personal chapter of her life with the world. Big Boob is a gift to anyone who loves someone facing breast cancer, to those walking a similar path themselves, or to anyone in need of a reminder that hope can coexist with fear. By the final pages, you’ll find that hope and optimism too.
Having known several women in my own life who have battled various forms of breast cancer, Emily’s story offers an intimate, unfiltered glimpse into both the emotional and physical realities of diagnosis, treatment, and remission. Her storytelling is deeply human—raw without being overwhelming, reflective without losing its warmth.
I found myself feeling immense pride in Emily—not only for the strength and resilience she showed throughout her experience, but for her courage in choosing to share such a traumatic and deeply personal chapter of her life with the world. Big Boob is a gift to anyone who loves someone facing breast cancer, to those walking a similar path themselves, or to anyone in need of a reminder that hope can coexist with fear. By the final pages, you’ll find that hope and optimism too.
January 23, 2026
This Book is a Courageous and Emotionally Open Testament to Advocate for Women’s Health.
I cried, I laughed out loud and I never lost HOPE!
I cried, I laughed out loud and I never lost HOPE!
January 24, 2026
Emily takes us on a JOURNEY! It is gut wrenching in parts and heartwarming in others. A must read for those who want inspired and made laugh by an amazing woman who went through hell and now thrives on the other side of it!
January 29, 2026
A very raw and real description of all aspects of battling breast cancer. it's written from her heart and she bares it all. I can't recommend this read enough everyone. It's such an emotional and courageous battle and Emily takes the reader along.
January 31, 2026
Great book
Easy to read and understand. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and feelings. Very helpful to those who may be facing a difficult diagnosis.
Easy to read and understand. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and feelings. Very helpful to those who may be facing a difficult diagnosis.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews