Faith, Hope and Healing: Inspiring Lessons Learned from People Living with Cancer

241 Pages·2009·3.21 MB·English

by  Bernie Siegel

( c o n t i n u e d f r o m f r o n t f l a p )
Praise for “Bernie Siegel is one of the greatest healers of our time. The stories he shares in Faith, Hope, and Healing $24.95 USA/$29.95 CAN
demonstrate the healing effect of treating cancer not just with conventional medicine but by changing the
way you think about your disease, the way you act toward those who love and care for you, and the way
surprised when a little voice inside her answered, Bernie Siegel you feel about yourself. The mind is the most powerful tool you have for fi ghting back.”
“Why not?” And, a successful veterinarian reveals for Prescriptions for Living —Deepak Chopra, author of Jesus: A Story of Enlightenment
how his throat cancer taught him things about “Bernie Siegel is a brilliant beacon broadcasting a message of hope. When high-tech medicine is supplemented with
pets that he had never learned in school. love and compassion, we have not only curing but also healing, which is what Siegel’s message is all about.”
—Larry Dossey, M.D., author of Healing Words n his monumental bestseller, Love, Medicine,
A
coll lecotfi onth he elspt oyroiues d iisnc ovtheris w dheaet pDlyr . Ssuiepgpeol rctailvles “If you or a loved one have to go through fmora jHoerl pm Meed itcoa lH ecalre . . . this book can be . . . life-saving and f a i t h, Igarnodu nMdi rbaycl erse,v eDarl.i nBge rtnhiee pSoiewgerl fublr orkoele ntehwe
the “side effects” of cancer: the wake-up call that soul-saving.” mind can play in fi ghting illness. His dramatic
urges you to begin your life anew, a heightened —Andrew Weil, M.D., the New York Times bestselling author of stories of seriously ill patients whose sheer will,
Spontaneous Healing and Eight Weeks to Optimum Health
understanding of what really matters to you and determination, and love helped them survive
what doesn’t, and the courage to take control for 365 Prescriptions for the Soul against the odds inspired countless readers to
of your own healing process as you work with “doBseersn ioef Seiteegrenla dl iwspiesdnosems .s”piritual medicine that’s good for you, and feels good too! I highly recommend these daily h o pe & consider the possibility of participating in their
caregivers to cure your illness. —Marianne Williamson, author of Everyday Grace own healing. This new companion volume to Dr.
Siegel’s timeless classic takes the journey further.
“Bernie is one of the world’s most respected doctors. I would pay close attention to any prescription he offers.
For more than twenty years, Dr. Siegel has been I read from this each day.”
educating cancer patients on the importance of —Wayne Dyer, author of Getting in the Gap Faith, Hope, and Healing presents the remarkable
the spiritual life in facing and recovering from “Dr. Siegel’s soul medicine is dispensed in perfect doses to uplift, inspire, enlighten, and heal you. As always, h e a l i ng stories of what happened to patients who followed
cancer. In Faith, Hope, and Healing, he helps Bboeronki ea’ns dw aisddmoimni satnedr ilto tvoe egvaevrey omne gyoous leobvuem.”ps, or should I say god-bumps. Buy a carton of this medicine-in-a- Dr. Siegel’s advice. You’ll meet courageous
you learn from the experiences of others how to —Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., author of Inner Peace for Busy People women and men who have not only been cured
recognize the disease as a wake-up call that leads of cancer, but have also found deeper faith, hope,
you to seek nourishment for yourself and your for Love, Magic, and Mudpies joy, and healing by coming to terms with their
life, start building a more authentic and fulfi lling h“Dumr.o Br.e rLnoiev eS, ieMgealg hica,s a bnede nM muyd pmieesn itso ra sa nfudn fnryie, nwdi sfeo,r amndan pyr aycetaircsa.l Hasi si tws imsdaogmic ahl aasu btheeonr. aE bvearyc opna roefn ht enaeleindgs athnids own mortality.
today, and keep it going for many years to come. book.”
—Christiane Northrup, M.D., author of Mother-Daughter Wisdom Grouped into sections on faith, hope, and healing,
BERNIE SIEGEL, M.D., speaks and runs workshops “Love, Magic, and Mudpies is a wonderful, wise, and very funny antidote to the No-Parent-Is-Perfect-Enough these fi rst-person accounts and Siegel’s insightful
across the country and is devoted to humanizing sgcrhaondolf aothf epra wrehnoti nisg a. lBsoe ran ipei oSneiegeerl ’osf dheolilgishtticfu ml nedewici nbeo.o”k could only have been written by a seasoned father and I N S P I R I N G L E S S O N S commentaries encourage and help you to develop
medical care and medical education. His books —Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., author of Kitchen Table Wisdom a survivor’s attitude and personality traits. They
Love, Medicine, and Miracles; Peace, Love, and “Dr. Bernie Siegel is a living demonstration of the healing power of commitment, compassion, and love. What he also offer proven strategies for getting through
Healing; and How to Live between Offi ce Visits are offers the world in Love, Magic, and Mudpies is a testimony of his wisdom. No matter what ails you, a dose of diffi cult times and discovering the gifts—true
classics in the fi eld of healing. Bernie Siegel and his work is sure to work magic in your soul.” L E A R N E D F R O M P E O P L E gifts—that illness can bring into your life.
—Iyanla Vanzant, author of One Day My Soul Just Opened Up
JENNIFER SANDER and her writing have been for Peace, Love & Healing Among the survivors who tell their stories here,
featured on CNBC, CNN, The View, USA Today, “Bernie Siegel [is] a doctor who loves. In this age of massive, impersonal medical technology, his advocacy of L I V I N G W I T H C A N C E R you’ll fi nd a woman who discovered on the same
Fortune Small Business, and Fox News, among human caring is a necessity.” day that she had lost her battle for the custody
—Larry LeShan, Ph.D., author of Cancer as a Turning Point
other media outlets. of her three sons and that her breast cancer had
“I was enthralled with this book. [This] truly great book . . . combines sound thought with captivating humor.”
returned. In the midst of utter catastrophe and
—Norman Vincent Peale
defeat, with no hope in sight, she discovered a
Jacket Design: Wendy Mount love of life she had never known before. You’ll
Author Photograph: Dr. Barry Bitman Bernie Siegel, M.D.
also meet the woman who asked, “Why me?”
when she was diagnosed with cancer, and was
a n d J e n n i f e r S a n d e r
( c o n t i n u e d o n b a c k f l a p )
I N S P I R I N G L E S S O N S
B
anedr nJieen nSifieer gSeanl,d Me.rD . f a i t h, h o p e & L E A R N E D F R O M P E O P L E
h e a l i n g L I V I N G W I T H C A N C E R
ffirs.indd i 2/16/09 12:19:59 PM
Faith, Hope, and Healing
ffirs.indd i 2/16/09 12:19:58 PM
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Faith, Hope, and Healing
Inspiring Lessons Learned from
People Living with Cancer
Bernie Siegel, M.D.
and
Jennifer Sander
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Copyright © 2009 by Bernie Siegel, M.D. All rights reserved
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
Passage from 365 Prescriptions for the Soul, copyright © 2004 by Bernie S. Siegel.
R eprinted with permission of New World Library, Novato CA, www.newworldlibrary.com.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
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the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978)
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Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, [phone],
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Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and the author have
used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or war-
ranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and
specifi cally disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fi tness for a particular
purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written
sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your
situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the pub-
lisher nor the author shall be liable for any loss of profi t or any other commercial dam-
ages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
The information contained in this book is not intended to serve as a replacement for
professional medical advice. Any use of the information in this book is at the reader's
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Siegel, Bernie S.
Faith, hope, and healing : inspiring lessons learned from people living with cancer /
Bernie Siegel and Jennifer Sander.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-470-28901-3 (cloth)
1. Cancer—Psychological aspects. 2. Medicine, Psychosomatic. I. Sander,
Jennifer Basye, 1958– II. Title.
[DNLM: 1. Neoplasms—psychology—Personal Narratives. 2. Faith Healing—
Personal Narratives. 3. Survivors—psychology—Personal Narratives. QZ 200 S571f 2009]
RC262.S477 2009
616.99'4—dc22
2008055871
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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T o my creators: those of a higher order whom we can
only sense as being present; and to my parents, my wife
Bobbie, our fi ve children and eight grandchildren, and
innumerable divine creatures of varying species who have
shared their lives with us.
ffirs.indd v 2/16/09 12:20:00 PM
ffirs.indd vi 2/16/09 12:20:00 PM
C ontents
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 1
Part One: FAITH
God Handed Me a Gift 7
bernie’s refl ection: Everything in the universe is subject to
change, and everything is on schedule.
A Snowy Quest 12
bernie’s refl ection: Life is not about “why me,” but “try me.”
My Healing Journey 18
bernie’s refl ection: There are many side effects to accepting
your mortality, and they’re not all bad.
Baby Jamie: A Survivor’s Story 27
bernie’s refl ection: Every life is a marathon, and the goal is
to fi nish yours.
Learning to Let Go 34
bernie’s refl ection: Seek peace, because when you wage a
war against cancer, you empower your enemy.
vii
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viii contents
What We Could Do Together 42
bernie’s refl ection: Invest in your relationships and
everyone benefi ts.
Making My Own Music 48
bernie’s refl ection: Learn to listen to your heart and not
your head.
Love Heals 53
bernie’s refl ection: Love benefi ts the giver and
the receiver.
Wildfl owers 59
bernie’s refl ection: What you plant in your garden shows
up in every season of your life.
To Be Alive Is a Gift 66
bernie’s refl ection: We are all works in progress.
Amazing Final Days 73
bernie’s refl ection: Even the blind see when they have a
near-death experience.
Part Two: HOPE
A Joyous Occasion Is a Joyous Occasion 79
bernie’s refl ection: You make your own weather by focusing
on sunny or cloudy skies.
A New Autumn 85
bernie’s refl ection: Cancer can refl ect our true selves.
Riding Uphill 90
bernie’s refl ection: Coming in fi rst is not the issue;
fi nishing what you start is.
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