- Better off Bald: A Life in 147 Days
- Andrea Wilson Woods
- Paperback: 392 pages
- Publisher: Build Your BLISSS (September 23, 2019)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1544504594
- ISBN-13: 978-1544504599
Adrienne Wilson is a depressed, suicidal teenager—until the day she receives a diagnosis of stage IV liver cancer. Facing the fight of her life, Adrienne discovers how much she wants to live. In Better Off Bald: A Life in 147 Days, Andrea Wilson Woods chronicles her sister’s remarkable life from the time she was born to the day she dies at age fifteen. Written like a journal, Andrea takes the reader inside her and Adrienne’s journey explaining how she gained custody of Adrienne from their mother and how the sisters’ relationship evolved over time. Adrienne’s courageous spirit shines through as she squeezes more life into 147 days than most people do in a lifetime. From meeting Jay Leno to spending the day with Dave Navarro of Jane’s Addiction, Adrienne makes every moment count. As she lay dying, Adrienne teaches Andrea how to live.
Review: Better Off Bald: A Life in 147 Days
Cancer touches most of our lives and some people make it their mission in life to help prevent and or treat cancer with a goal to help cure it.
When diagnosed with cancer, patients often ask their physicians what does this require? Patients are informed of staging, the possibility of symptoms, and tests and often come face to face with authorizing their own support and treatment options.
If you are a caregiver, you know that you put your wants aside to focus on the ever-changing needs of the ill person. In the case of the terminally ill person, you do this by adopting a hopeful attitude and being grateful for the time you have together.
In this book, written like a journal, Andrea Wilson Woods shows us many lives that come to terms with Adrienne's diagnosis of Hepatocellular carcinoma and you see Adrienne's days are filled with humor, courage, joy, and love.
This inspiring story tells us a little about clinical trials, targeted drug therapies, and their side effects. More importantly, it teaches us about the enjoyment of life and points out it is the little things that bring us happiness, like dyeing our hair or having an animal reach out and touch us as we walk by, or giggling with a girlfriend.
Chemotherapy targets all rapidly dividing cells and in many cases, hair usually begins falling out two to four weeks after treatment starts. New products have been developed to replace and /or supplement traditional wigs but when one acknowledges it's a succession of experiences that makes up one's liveliness, one may feel, better off bald.
I received this inspiring and educational read from Rachal Bobman Marketing Manager at Scribe Media.
About the Author
Andrea Wilson Woods is a writer who loves to tell stories and a patient advocate who founded the nonprofit Blue Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association. Andrea is the CEO and co-founder of Cancer University, a for-profit, social-benefit, digital health company. With Cancer U, Andrea synergizes her talents of coaching, writing, teaching, and advocacy. For over ten years, Andrea worked in the education field as a teacher and professor for public and private schools as well as universities. Andrea obtained her master’s degree in professional writing from the University of Southern California; her nonfiction writing has won national awards.
Blue Faery's mission is to prevent, treat and cure primary liver cancer, specifically Hepatocellular Carcinoma, through research, education, and advocacy. Their work improves the quality of life for HCC patients, supports their caregivers, and gives them hope, information, and a voice.