Kelly Lang (1)

This book was a gift from a friend. I read it because singer-songwriter Kelly Lang is a breast cancer survivor. It is well-written, but since I didn't know much about Kelly Lang, although she is a member of the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, I didn't feel emotionally attached to her story.

Some warnings: the story of her treatment in 2007 is nowhere near the standard of care in 2022. I could sympathize since I underwent some of the same treatment back in 2009 when I had to have a biopsy. I was terrified when I went in for a biopsy in 2021 because of the past treatment. It was nowhere as bad; local anesthesia is common with the initial biopsy, with everyone being concerned about my pain level. Please, please don't let fear keep you from getting your scheduled mammograms.

Radiation therapy has changed since 2007. There are ways of preserving bone mass, and a decent radiation oncologist will work with a team to get it done with the patient's future wellbeing in mind. Don't be afraid of it these days.

She had horrid luck with her doctors, although that was more common a decade ago. Breast reconstruction happens far more often today and shouldn't lead to multiple rounds of surgery if done by a competent plastic surgeon.

The rest of the book had much to do with her strong faith, friends, husband, and growth as a performer, writer, painter, and comedian. There was much to admire in that. She also had some ideas about how to live a positive life, especially for breast cancer survivors.

How to rate it? I am torn. As a biography, it was fascinating. As a recent breast cancer survivor, I was appalled by the level of treatment she received. As a former librarian, it worried me that someone recently diagnosed would assume that they would get worse treatment if a celebrity got such poor treatment. It also worried me that it might frighten some women enough that they wouldn't want mammograms for fear of the diagnosis and treatment.

For the aforementioned reasons, and because I never got emotionally involved in her story, I would recommend this only for fans of Kelly Lang and for those who are also breast cancer survivors who want to read about another survivor and her journey.… (más)