Review of First Survivor
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Liz McArthur
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- Latest Review: First Survivor by Mark Unger
Review of First Survivor
[Following is a volunteer review of "First Survivor" by Mark Unger.]
The book First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough by Mark Unger, is a wrenching account of childhood cancer. Unger's book begins with the diagnosis of his youngest son, Louis, with neuroblastoma at age three; he proceeds to detail how he and his wife worked tirelessly to find the best care in the world for Louis, efforts that ultimately led to Louis's complete recovery and a long-term cure. Unger manages to eloquently describe his parental horror and anxiety, while still providing dispassionate details of his son's tests, treatments, and side effects. Unger uses verbatim examples of the notes he took while having difficult conversations with Louis's doctors, and often describes the difficulty of nurturing and caring for multiple children, one of whom was incredibly sick. Fortunately for the Ungers, Louis Unger received a novel, groundbreaking treatment for neuroblastoma, thanks in part to the perseverance of his parents; he was declared fully cured seven years after his initial diagnosis.
Unger provides readers with a firsthand account of the overwhelming horror one feels when hearing your child has an aggressive form of cancer. Louis's story is one of courage and compassion, tenacity and extreme parental diligence. It not only serves as a resource to caregivers who are facing a similar situation, it also seems to be a form of therapy and closure for Mark Unger himself, with diary entries making up a good portion of the chapters. There is a general sense that while the author walks the reader through his experience, he is also seeking healing from an incredibly traumatic time in his life.
This book not only calls attention to cancer, specifically neuroblastoma, it also makes it clear that successfully beating a malignant disease in the world of Western medicine requires resources not everyone has. Unger frankly points out that his family was financially well-off, with good health insurance, and they still felt daunted by the medical bills Louis's treatment incurred. Unger took an extended leave of absence from his family's business, allowing him to focus on researching his son's condition, scheduling and conducting countless interviews with specialists, and strategizing next steps for Louis's recovery. Unger's wife was already a fulltime caretaker for their children, so between the two of them they became a well-connected, well-educated team with ample time and resources to devote to keeping their son alive. They were able to create an ideal scenario for battling a horrific disease, but it seems unlikely that the vast majority of working parents, particularly in this decade, would be able to replicate their efforts.
While not an "enjoyable" read by any means, I found Mark Unger's story moving and poignant. He is extremely detailed and comprehensive, even including a medical glossary as well as a list of neuroblastoma support resources. I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars, marked down for grammatical and editing errors.
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First Survivor
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The book First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough by Mark Unger, is a wrenching account of childhood cancer. Unger's book begins with the diagnosis of his youngest son, Louis, with neuroblastoma at age three; he proceeds to detail how he and his wife worked tirelessly to find the best care in the world for Louis, efforts that ultimately led to Louis's complete recovery and a long-term cure. Unger manages to eloquently describe his parental horror and anxiety, while still providing dispassionate details of his son's tests, treatments, and side effects. Unger uses verbatim examples of the notes he took while having difficult conversations with Louis's doctors, and often describes the difficulty of nurturing and caring for multiple children, one of whom was incredibly sick. Fortunately for the Ungers, Louis Unger received a novel, groundbreaking treatment for neuroblastoma, thanks in part to the perseverance of his parents; he was declared fully cured seven years after his initial diagnosis.
Unger provides readers with a firsthand account of the overwhelming horror one feels when hearing your child has an aggressive form of cancer. Louis's story is one of courage and compassion, tenacity and extreme parental diligence. It not only serves as a resource to caregivers who are facing a similar situation, it also seems to be a form of therapy and closure for Mark Unger himself, with diary entries making up a good portion of the chapters. There is a general sense that while the author walks the reader through his experience, he is also seeking healing from an incredibly traumatic time in his life.
This book not only calls attention to cancer, specifically neuroblastoma, it also makes it clear that successfully beating a malignant disease in the world of Western medicine requires resources not everyone has. Unger frankly points out that his family was financially well-off, with good health insurance, and they still felt daunted by the medical bills Louis's treatment incurred. Unger took an extended leave of absence from his family's business, allowing him to focus on researching his son's condition, scheduling and conducting countless interviews with specialists, and strategizing next steps for Louis's recovery. Unger's wife was already a fulltime caretaker for their children, so between the two of them they became a well-connected, well-educated team with ample time and resources to devote to keeping their son alive. They were able to create an ideal scenario for battling a horrific disease, but it seems unlikely that the vast majority of working parents, particularly in this decade, would be able to replicate their efforts.
While not an "enjoyable" read by any means, I found Mark Unger's story moving and poignant. He is extremely detailed and comprehensive, even including a medical glossary as well as a list of neuroblastoma support resources. I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars, marked down for grammatical and editing errors.
******
First Survivor
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: First Survivor by Mark Unger
