About the new book
Admired for her intelligence and her many accomplishments, “Dr. Marla,” or “Canada’s Doctor,” as she is known, seemed to have it all. But on Friday, August 13, 2004, Shapiro found out she had an invasive form of breast cancer. Like the more than 20,000 Canadian women who are diagnosed every year with the disease, her world changed forever. But unlike most of those women, her status as a physician meant she had an insider’s knowledge of the disease and treatments.
Life in the Balance is Dr. Shapiro’s intimate, inspiring and often surprising account of her illness, from the shock of the initial diagnosis to multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and her agonizing decision to have both breasts removed, followed by reconstructive surgery and recovery. She candidly recounts her struggle going from the woman who routinely delivered all the seemingly right answers to her patients and her family, to the woman who quickly discovered that there were no right answers when it came to her own life-altering decisions.
View DetailsCritical Praise
—Valerie Pringle
“Marla’s book is raw and painful and honest. She exposes everything about herself and, in doing so, tells a remarkable personal story with the ring of truth. They say whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Marla couldn’t be stronger or more driven but cancer has made her more mindful. She learns and teaches the hard lessons very well.”
—Rose Reisman
“Life in the Balance is a book I couldn’t put down and that surprised me. I didn’t expect an eloquent, almost light-hearted account of life with breast cancer. Marla is to be applauded for her poignant and straightforward account of her battle. It brought out every possible human emotion. Marla shows us that there is life during and after breast cancer. This is a book that should be read by every woman whether they’re going through this disease or not.”
—Hana Gartner
“An unsentimental insight into survival and resilience. Marla Shapiro generously shares some pretty tough life lessons from her defiant and single-minded battle with breast cancer. She permits us to see the driven, overachieving physician become a driven, overachieving patient. But she does it with humour, grace and gratitude—and newfound ‘balance.’ Thank you Marla.”
—Dr. Robert Buckman
“In Life in the Balance: My Journey with Breast Cancer, Dr Marla Shapiro sensitively and perceptively describes the double pressures (and more!) of being a breast cancer patient as well as being a physician — and Canada’s most well-known and much admired doctor at that. A large number of my patients with breast cancer have said how Dr Marla’s example inspires them, and makes them feel better able to cope and understand their situation. This book will greatly add to that effect and is a welcome portrayal of the difficulties, the obstacles, the setbacks and the frustrations as well as the victories, the gains and (unexpectedly) the benefits of potentially serious illness.”
—Andy Barrie, CBC Radio
“Marla Shapiro makes it clear that she’s been blessed by an extraordinarily successful medical career. But, as a newly diagnosed breast cancer patient, ‘being a doctor’ she tells us, ‘is a curse.’ She knows too well what’s wrong, knows that there’s so many more than one way to try to make things right. She learns that no matter how well informed, well connected or well off you are, there are no exemptions from the terrors of battling a serious illness. Anybody contending with cancer will feel less lonely with her words next to them. But the people who will most need to read this book are the galaxy of friends, family, co-workers and doctors who surround all cancer patients—patients who are often too fatigued, fearful or furious to tell us what they need, or more to the point, what will make things worse (the nausea-making scent of flowers sent during chemo treatments, e-mails that include the words Horrendous, Terrible or Tragic). The book’s first words are ‘Who I was . . .’; its last, from Marla’s family, describe who she, and they, have become. The story of that transformation, body and soul, is a stunning tale, powerfully told.”
—Seamus O’Regan, Co-Host, Canada AM
“Life in the Balance is much like the Dr. Marla we all know—frank, authoritative, and wildly informative. What surprised me was the depth of intimacy here, both from Marla and from her family. They have all been struck by this disease, and their decision to share their thoughts and reflections could not have been an easy one. But we benefit from their courage, and their heart. This is a moving, deeply personal read.”
Testimonials
“Dr. Marla Shapiro, I believe, is the leading person in our times for modern health concerns. Dr. Shapiro is able to connect to the reader as she connects to her patients. Her own personal struggles with health demonstrate to us that one’s personal strength is key to recovery. I consider her one of the great women of our time.”
“This book answers the question every woman with breast cancer asks their doctor: ‘What would you do if it were you?’ Marla shows us that even doctors have to struggle with the limitations in our knowledge. Her story is informative, touching and even funny. A great addition to the breast cancer literature.”
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