Most of us have been raised to believe that doctors know best when it comes to our health and the type of treatment we should undergo if we become ill. This is not necessarily so. A doctor who has never experienced surgery or the life-altering effects of a serious illness such as breast cancer canıt know what a patient is going through as well as the patient herself does. In addition, doctors usually offer cancer victims several options for treatment; ultimately, it is each patient who must choose her course of action. How do you decide what's best for you? A doctor might have an opinion, but unfortunately, it is impossible for most medical practitioners to keep up with the very latest research in every field, and their opinions are sometimes based on outdated studies. In order to have the best possible information with which to evaluate and treat your illness, it's up to you, the patient, to become your own expert--through research, communication with other patients and survivors, and, most important, awareness of your own body, mind, and soul.

Barbara Pate Glacel discovered this firsthand. A busy, highly organized CEO of her own company, wife of a brigadier general attached to NATO, and mother of three nearly grown daughters, she received the unexpected diagnosis of breast cancer in 1996. Stunned, she found herself suddenly feeling vulnerable and afraid, not sure how she would cope with this devastating disease.

Glacel chronicles her ordeal in Hitting the Wall: Memoir of a Cancer Journey (Hara Publishing; June 2001; $16.95), sharing a story that is both unique and universal. Her circumstances were certainly unusual; since her husband was stationed in Belgium, she faced surgery and subsequent treatment from medical administrators who did not speak her language. But her feelings mirrored those shared by all breast cancer victims‹uncertainty, pain, depression, loss, and the inescapable fear that life would never be the same again.

Cut off from physical contact with her friends, family, and colleagues back home, Glacel turned to the Internet to not only keep her loved ones apprised of her condition, but to secure the latest information on her illness and possible treatments and to seek out information and support from others living with this disease. What started as an e-mail support group with family and friends grew into an international support group for those facing cancer that helped not only her, but hundreds of others from around the globe.

In addition to her own moving, heartfelt story, Hitting the Wall also offers comprehensive information on products, organizations, publications, websites, and other pertinent resources for breast cancer survivors. Glacel herself has become an advocate for women who face this daunting challenge, testifying before Congress on the problems they face in getting appropriate care and working with several organizations to raise funds for research.

With the projection that more than 180,000 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year alone, Hitting the Wall is a timely, helpful guide filled with practical suggestions and emotional support for those afflicted with the disease, as well as for family, caretakers, and friends.

About the Author:
Barbara Pate Glacel, Ph.D., is a human relations professional serving a select number of clients in executive coaching, team development, and organizational change. She founded and served as CEO of VIMA International--The Leadership Group before selling the company in 2000. Glacel has authored three books and numerous articles and is a frequent public speaker. A breast cancer survivor since 1997, she has become an advocate for others facing this disease, working to provide early detection as well as to find a cure. Through her fundraising efforts, Glacel has raised thousands of dollars for numerous organizations, including the American Cancer Societyıs Relay for Life, the Susan G. Komen Foundationıs Race for the Cure, and the Avon Breast Cancer 3-day sixty-mile walks. Glacel recently celebrated 32 years of marriage to Army officer Brigadier General (Retired) Robert Glacel. She is the mother of three grown daughters.

Hitting the Wall
Memoir of a Cancer Journey
By Barbara Pate Glacel, Ph.D.
Hara Publishing
ISBN:1-883697-73-5
Softcover, 216 pages
Price: $16.95
June 2001

For more information, contact Joanne McCall at (503) 245-3107 or joanne@teleport.com

© 2002 Barbara Pate Glacel. All rights reserved