Chasing Life: The Remarkable True Story of Love, Joy and Achievement Against All Odds

by Robert Pardi, Phyllis Melhado

They were an attractive, enviable New York couple – Robert climbing the ranks in Investment Banking and Desiree excelling in the MD/Ph.D. program at Mount Sinai New York. Yet, shortly after Robert was recruited by one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, their world was shaken to its very core. Desiree, having just turned 31, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer.This is a story of the evolution of one person and the awakening of another. Chasing Life is a story of love, joy, resilience, and extraordinary achievements against all odds. It’s about a couple uniting to rise above complacency and adversity to live a joyful life congruent with beliefs, passions, and values. It highlights the need to live life in the present moment. It's about learning to savor life while we are alive.Excerpted from the foreword by Suzanne Rose, MD, MSEd, Senior Vice Dean for Medical Education, Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania“You are about to read a love story, a story of triumph, a story of drive, passion, compassion and about a courageous fight in the face of adversity. I came to know Dr. Desiree Pardi as someone who was always chasing her dream; she did not just pursue the dream in order to catch up; she caught up with her dream, outsmarted that dream and pursued another, and another, and another. Chasing Life is the perfect title for this labor of love, a portrait of an incredible young woman pursuing her passion, surpassing every expectation and then moving forward again until she could go no further because of a devastating and aggressive disease.”

Praise for Chasing Life"Cancer and death have a unique way of getting our attention. As a hospice physician, many of my patients used to tell me they became 'alive' only after facing cancer and death ... and some regretted all of the years and decades they spent 'sleep-walking.' Desiree and Rob in this book share what it means to be live fully aware, awake, and alive. If you want to live an abundant life - one that is fully woke - this book will grab, surprise, inspire, break, and renew you because everything you heard before is probably wrong. The abundant life is not about fame, money, and personal success." - James A. Avery, MD, Visiting Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Virginia“Chasing Life is a love story, an ode to a brilliant doctor whose own illness shaped a legacy of patient care that I have surely benefited from in my own cancer journey. This memoir proves that luck goes beyond issues of mortality - that the greater gift is to be lucky in love.” - Leslie Lehr, Author of A Boob's How America's Obsession Shaped Me…and You."Love, we learn is not always about a fairy tale with happy endings. It's a tale of two people who in sharing their deepest vulnerabilities, discover each other and themselves wholeheartedly. In this vivid retelling of his 11 years caring for his wife, Robert challenges the reader to ask themselves essential life questions about how adversity calls on us to rise-up and embrace our fuller humanity. This is a story of love in its most transformative expression." - Mark Stolow, CEO, Huddol Journeys“Chasing Life is a heartbreaking and heartwarming story about two amazing individuals, Desiree and Rob, who shared the passion for life through transformative love and angelic compassion in the face of horrendous circumstances. Undaunted in her dedication to care for the suffering, while going through 11 years of her own recurring and worsening cancer, Desiree gave the full energy of her heart and soul to helping people with advanced illness.

285 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 17, 2021

Reviews

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a poignant and inspirational memoir by Robert Pardi, co-written with Phyllis Melhado, about his extraordinary love with late wife Desiree. She was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer at 31, while in the M.D./Ph.D. program at Mount Sinai New York.

I cried, yet gained hope, as Desiree completes her degrees and is named Medical Director of the Palliative Care Consult Service at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell — all while undergoing treatment for metastasized cancer. Highly, highly recommended! Thanks to the authors for the review copy; opinions are mine.

[Ruth Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for anyone involved in fighting cancer

What a beautiful story. Wonderful to read it from the perspective of the lover, partner and carer supporting their wife battling cancer live life and deal with the disease on their terms

Brilliant insights for anyone fighting the battle themselves or supporting others fight it, whether you are a medical professional, friend, family member or partner

Thank you Robert and Desiree for opening my mind and heart.

Dr Ruth

[Patty Civalleri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Wow, a heartfelt and loving tribute to a remarkable woman. The true irony of a doctor that dedicated her life to palliative care, and suddenly found herself needing this same care, WAY too early in life. The love and support she enjoyed from her husband during her too short life is such that many don't experience in long-lived lives. Cheers to her heroic stance through her journey, and cheers to the dedication and strength he shared with her throughout. ❤️

[MaryAnne Bohlinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly extraordinary and heartwarming story

Rob and Des lived their life to the fullest, with no excuses and mutual respect. Buy this book for anyone you know who is negative, blames others for their woes, but also a perfect gift for anyone you love. Share Rob's joy and message!

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Achingly beautiful story of support and love along with the value of palliative care. I found myself wishing I didn’t know the end- and yet understanding that Dr. Paris’s life and death made such a difference for so many people.