After the Cure: The Untold Stories of Breast Cancer Survivors

by Emily Abel, Saskia K. Subramanian

2009 Choice Outstanding Academic Title
2009 Association of American University Presses Award for Jacket Design

The stories of 70 women living in the aftermath of breast cancer

Chemo brain. Fatigue. Chronic pain. Insomnia. Depression. These are just a few of the ongoing, debilitating symptoms that plague some breast-cancer survivors long after their treatments have officially ended. While there are hundreds of books about breast cancer, ranging from practical medical advice to inspirational stories of survivors, what has been missing until now is testimony from the thousands of women who continue to struggle with persistent health problems.

After the Cure is a compelling read filled with fascinating portraits of more than seventy women who are living with the aftermath of breast cancer. Emily K. Abel is one of these women. She and her colleague, Saskia K. Subramanian, whose mother died of cancer, interviewed more than seventy breast cancer survivors who have suffered from post-treatment symptoms. Having heard repeatedly that “the problems are all in your head,” many don't know where to turn for help. The doctors who now refuse to validate their symptoms are often the very ones they depended on to provide life-saving treatments. Sometimes family members who provided essential support through months of chemotherapy and radiation don't believe them. Their work lives, already disrupted by both cancer and its treatment, are further undermined by the lingering symptoms. And every symptom serves as a constant reminder of the trauma of diagnosis, the ordeal of treatment, and the specter of recurrence.

Most narratives about surviving breast cancer end with the conclusion of chemotherapy and radiation, painting stereotypical portraits of triumphantly healthy survivors, women who not only survive but emerge better and stronger than before. Here, at last, survivors step out of the shadows and speak compellingly about their “real” stories, giving voice to the complicated, often painful realities of life after the cure.
This book received funding from the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health

203 pages, Hardcover

First published August 22, 2008

Reviews

[Joanne Rixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Academic but accessibly-written, this is a thorough and scientific look at the reality of life with and after breast cancer, in the United States. I recommend it for anyone researching or writing about breast cancer, and for patients and family who are concerned about what to expect from a cancer diagnosis.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual, women in the medical system continue to be treated terribly.

[Elevate Difference · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the Cure: The Untold Stories of Breast Cancer Survivors is, as the title states, a book about what happens to women after they have undergone treatment and their cancer is in remission. It is a fascinating subject and one that is largely unexplored in today’s society. Most people assume that if a woman has battled breast cancer and lived to tell the tale, she must have a new lease on life and be living every day to its fullest. Sadly, for many breast cancer survivors, this is just not the case. After the Cure reveals that many survivors are plagued with severe after effects from their life saving treatments. Some of the effects are expected, such as fatigue and depression, but others—memory loss, for example—are surprising. The fact that these effects are, for the most part, unknown to the general public makes them all the more shocking.

After the Cure was written by Emily Abel, a breast cancer survivor, and Saskia Subramanian, a medical sociologist. Working with the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Abel and Subramanian interviewed numerous breast cancer survivors about their treatment experiences to find out how the treatment and its after effects changed their lives. Because the topic has been so scantly researched, many women felt they received inadequate help in dealing with the many physical and mental problems they experienced after their cancer went into remission. Added to this was the uncertainty a number of women had that their symptoms were only due to breast cancer treatment. Because many breast cancer survivors are middle-aged and experiencing menopause, this makes it difficult to determine whether their symptoms are due to cancer treatment, hormonal changes, or normal aging.

Besides physical symptoms, the book studies how race, educational background, and social status affect the attitude of doctors towards patients and their treatments. The strain on personal relationships is also explored. Several women noted that after a while their loved ones stopped believing their complaints of aches and pains, making the women less likely to talk about their symptoms or to seek treatment.

After the Cure left me with a new sense of awareness of breast cancer and drove home the point that, in many ways, when it comes to women’s health issues, doctors and researchers have barely gone past the tip of the iceberg. The book encourages women to do their own research and to not be afraid to speak up about their health concerns. That message, along with the personal accounts of real cancer survivors, makes this book a must read for women every where.

Review by Victoria Kroeger

[Jennifer]

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