When Dr. Maker was diagnosed in 2011, she, like most people, knew almost nothing about breast cancer. What she did know is that she didn't feel safe simply following her doctors' advice. The treatment is not always successful; some people die, and some who survive have disabling side effects. She needed to understand for herself all her treatment options, the statistical outcomes for each option, and all the potential side effects, so she could make informed decisions. Because of her academic background and expertise as a researcher, she discovered a great deal about the disease and its treatments that few lay people are aware of. After she went into remission, she knew that she was at high risk for recurrence and that mainstream oncology offered little in the way of preventing the cancer from returning. She worked with an integrative oncologist to alter her "terrain," to make her body resistant to cancer. This involved major lifestyle changes in terms of diet, supplements, exercise, stress reduction, and avoiding environmental carcinogens.
The Thinking Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer
is the story of her journey and the things she learned along the way. Readers may not make the same choices that Dr. Maker did, but the information in the book will enable them to make the choices that are best for them and for their loved ones.