It's Not About the Hair

Book excerpt: An oncology chaplain shares stories from her own battle with breast cancer in this frank, often hilarious memoir reminiscent of the works of Nora Ephron For more than two decades, author Debra Jarvis has counseled cancer patients in her work as a chaplain, working with them from the point of diagnosis through their treatment and recovery. Then, in an ironic twist, she herself was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer. It’s Not About the Hair is Jarvis’ warm and wise account of her own journey as a cancer patient, having already guided so many others through the same battle. With humor, candor, and an indomitable spirit, Jarvis opens a rare window into the interwoven world of medical technology and procedure, human vulnerability and strength, and the spiritual issues that converge in the experience of living through illness and living through life.