Book Review - When Cancer Hits - Britta Aragon

Title: When Cancer Hits

Author: Britta Aragon

Review: I am loathe to give out bad reviews because I honestly want to like everything I read. So I will start out with all the things I like. Britta Aragon is a two time survivor of cancer and has also lost her Dad to the disease. So I do not doubt for a second her sincerity or her personal experiences. She has been there, and she has gotten through it. She is a remarkable person for that alone.

First of all, the treatment for cancer is highly damaging to the human body, especially the skin. Ms. Aragon spends a lot of time focusing on this aspect of the treatment. Her main point is these changes are going to be radical, and for most people it will be the one side effect that affects their mental well being the most. Furthermore, your mental well being is extremely important to beating the disease. With all these changes all the products you use for your skin, hair, nails, and teeth can really interact with you in highly negative ways that are unexpected. The best example is your usual moisturizer you use for dry skin may contain certain reactive agents to your chemo altered skin that will actually exacerbate your condition, if not permanently damage it. With that in mind you should spend a lot of time relearning what affects you and how; it can go a long way to making your treatments a lot less painful.

Second, you need to focus on recovery both during treatment and after. Such things as massage, meditation, and yoga (and many others) can go along way to helping your mind through this tough journey, enabling you to get through the worst times. She spends some time going through a multitude of options and providing information of all the good they can do. Always remember an attack on the body, and that is what cancer and chemo are, is also an attack on the mind. And if you cannot keep your mind strong you will not be able to keep the body’s defenses going. The mind plays a lot larger part in our physical well being than a most people give it, to their detriment.

Finally, her chapter on wigs and other head covering options is the most concise comprehensive information you could ever want on the subject. She delves into every aspect that I could think of and I would not hesitate for a second to pass this on to anyone I knew going through chemo hair loss. It is that good. She even has you covered for when your hair grows back, because most time it comes in different.

Unfortunately these parts could not overcome the rest of the book. Mainly it was the lack of, or the extremely bad science that was contained on every other page. The wild jumps in logic were atrociously bad that they tainted everything she had to say. For the most part Ms. Aragon makes assumptions and states them as facts without any real evidence to back them up. She makes the age old mistake with believing the plural of anecdote is data, and presents personal opinion as proven. This reminded me very much of Jenny Mccarthy and her blindingly misguided campaign to prove that immunizations cause Autism. Science and tested theories have no room here.

Just to mention a few things that really jump out. Modern companies knowingly put toxic chemicals in their products that will hurt and/or kill their customers because they can make a bigger profit. As someone who actually knows the organic food policy of the FDA/USDA her statement that it is a sound regulation and the drug side of the FDA should follow suit is extremely naïve and shows her lack of education in this field. Basically you should avoid any product that contains any ingredient that is a chemical; she present that throughout the book as a panacea for all illness. That is just amazingly dumb, and possibly damaging.

But to end on a positive note, this book does speak (unintentionally) to the power of placebo. It comes back to that mind power I spoke of earlier. If you believe this unproven opinion is going to work for you, it probably will. In the end the most important thing you can do is have a definite plan and stick with it. That belief will get you through a lot of things, or at least make them bearable.

Publisher: Cinco Vidas Press

Copyright: 2011

Pages: 298

ISBN: 978-0-9829175-0-3

Quick Review: 2 Star out of 5.

Why I Read it: I generally like nonfiction books that are informative.

Where I Obtained the Book: Sent to me by Cadence for review.

Synopsis: When Cancer Hits is your complete guide to navigating all the changes you’ll experience between the doctor s office and everyday living. Whether your future includes surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy, you’ll need to know how to best manage your side effects, stress, and home recovery and how to sustain positive energy during treatment and beyond.
Author Biography: Cinco Vidas was founded by Britta Aragon, entrepreneur, natural beauty expert, makeup artist, and author. Created to fill the gap between the doctor’s office and everyday living, the organization delivers resources, services, and products to help anyone dealing with side effects from chemotherapy, radiation treatments, or medications, or experiencing skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and extremely dry skin.

“My journey started when I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease at the age of 16,” Britta says. “I went through chemotherapy, lost most of my hair, had night sweats, got really dry skin, and suffered weight gain, but I was fortunate. I got through it. Afterwards, I realized life is a precious gift that can be taken away in the snap of a finger. It made me stronger, and I know it helped develop my free spirit and positive outlook on life. But it also shook me up a little, and took me in a new direction that I never would have expected—and that would eventually lead me to my purpose in life.”

Other Reviews:

Seattle PI

FYI: