Having been diagnosed with cancer twice, with the second time being a terminal diagnosis in 2016, I promised myself that if I lived 5 years, I would write a book and share how I outlived my diagnosis.
According to the statistics on my cancer type, salivary duct carcinoma, I had a 20 percent chance of surviving five years, with most people dying in the first three.
Well, it’s 2022 and as an exceptional survivor, here I am publishing the book I promised.
In addition to giving back to the hospital that saved my life by donating a portion of the book’s profits to The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation in Toronto, Canada, I also wanted to leave a legacy for my two children, Ethan and Hila.
I offer readers emotional connection through a style that is transparent, honest, and relatable. With survival being the central theme, I delve into many aspects, including the things I did to best position myself to outlive my terminal diagnosis in 2016 and attain my current state of radical remission. Many cancer patients are desperate for all sorts of information from learning about their disease and treatments all the way through to managing their emotions. My main goals for the book are to address the desire of cancer patients and their families to consume accurate information that serve to inspire, teach, and offer practical steps to help them live longer and better.
Cancer patients and their families understand all too well that cancer and its impact are scary. I take readers through a journey involving many aspects of cancer that have been woven into my own life’s story. Through sharing in ways that expose emotional vulnerability, my overarching goal is for readers to connect with me and take what they need from my story and apply it to their own life.
Publishing On the Other Side of TERMINAL represents a pinnacle in my life. Out of necessity, which itself was rooted in misguided emotional protection, I was generally private and rather guarded with the details of my medical problems. Coming to terms with it took a lot of work and at points, I didn’t think that I had the capacity to have conversations with family and friends about the terminal nature of my disease. However, after much introspection fuelled by the psychological work at The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, I am now able to share and help others. It wasn’t easy but I did it. For some readers, they too will find themselves in a deep and dark place and I hope that my book offers them hope to reach for the light. I’m just a normal person who has been dealt some pretty bad cards for the past 30 years. And if I could come out of the dark and experience the freedom that comes along with the process, then you can too. I know you can and I’m going to do my best to help you get there.
I value each reader who chooses to read On the Other Side of TERMINAL because they have chosen to spend part of their life connecting with me to improve their own life touched by cancer. But for me, the act of connecting is a two-way street. So, I invite everyone to share their own story back with me so that I may learn and grow from them in return. I am considering putting together a compilation of what are certain to be incredibly inspirational stories of cancer survival in a future book. Please send your story to allen@AllenChankowsky.com
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