Monday, July 20, 2009

one free copy of Cecil Murphey's new book


"When Someone You Love Has Cancer: Comfort and Encouragement for Caregivers and Loved Ones" by Cecil Murphey.


Cecil Murphey is a gifted author and generous in his help to other authors. I know this first hand, and am happy today to participate in his book's blog tour. One person who leaves a comment on my blog will receive a free copy of his book, and one commenter on one of the blogs on the tour will receive a wonderful prize (see below).
Here is what Cecil shares with readers about how he came to write this book. "When Shirley walked in from the garage, she didn't have to say a word: I read the diagnosis in her eyes. I grabbed her and held her tightly for several seconds. When I released her, she didn't cry. The unshed tears glistened, but that was all.



I felt emotionally paralyzed and helpless, and I couldn't understand my reaction. After all, I was a professional. As a former pastor and volunteer hospital chaplain I had been around many cancer patients. I'd seen people at their lowest and most vulnerable. As a writing instructor, I helped one woman write her cancer-survival book. Shirley and I had been caregivers for Shirley's older sister for months before she died of colon cancer.



All of that happened before cancer became personal to me--before my wife learned she needed a mastectomy. To make it worse, Shirley was in the high-risk category because most of her blood relatives had died of some form of cancer. Years earlier, she had jokingly said, "In our family we grow things."

In the days after the diagnosis and before her surgery, I went to a local bookstore and to the public library. I found dozens of accounts, usually by women, about their battle and survival. I pushed aside the novels that ended in a person's death. A few books contained medical or technical information. I searched on-line and garnered useful information--but I found nothing that spoke to me on how to cope with the possible loss of the person I loved most in this world.



Our story ends happily: Shirley has started her tenth year as a cancer survivor. Not only am I grateful, but I remember my pain and confusion during those days. That concerns me enough to reach out to others who also feel helpless as they watch a loved one face the serious diagnosis of cancer.



That's why I wrote When Someone You Love Has Cancer. I want to encourage relatives and friends and also to offer practical suggestions as they stay at the side of those they love."

Leave a comment here for the chance to win the free copy of this book. Also, a grand prize gift worth $300 will be given to one person who leaves a blog comment on one of the blogs participating in this tour, July 20-31, 2009.

6 comments:

Grace Bower said...

Any one on this journey needs all the help they can get.Just posted a great article on my FB page from the Wall Street Journal about living with cancer based on the Victor Frankel books. Was greatly blessed by Emilie Barnes story about her journey with cancer. I strongly feel we need to read these books before we need them because once you are in the situation with the ones you love life takes over in a big way.

TAILS of TANKENE said...

I had the year of cancer in 1990: my Mom. and two sisters were all diagnosed with cancer and all 3 had different kinds! Thanks be to God they are all survivors but it is the most scary thing in the world to face a diagnosis like cancer. Sparkles

vicki said...

After watching cancer take my parents away, we're now facing my husband's cancer. He just recently had surgery, and while my online friends are so supportive, extended family members have disappeared for the most part. I agree with Grace...anyone on this journey needs all the help and support they can get:-)Kudos to Cecil Murphey for writing this book!

Gail P Smith said...

Hi, Terra, my Shoutlife buddy, who was kind enough to share blog tour information with me! So neat to see Cec's information here on your blog.
Thanks so much for sharing. When someone you love has cancer it changes your life as well as theirs’. As a former pastor’s wife so many times I longed for words of comfort, encouragement and even prayers for ill friends and family members. I know Cecil Murphey’s book will be a great help to the many of us who’ve lived with and love cancer patients.

Terra said...

Congratulations to Vicky, who won the free copy of this book.
I believe it will be a blessing for you, and thank you to all 4 sweet commenters.

Vicki said...

Thank you so much!