Falling: A Daughter, A Father and A Journey Back

I was instantly intrigued when I read the synopsis of this book.  I wanted to read Falling because ten years ago my daughter was diagnosed with cancer (stage 4, hepatoblastoma) just like Elisha Cooper's daughter was diagnosed with Wilm's Tumor.  And then, I didn't want to read Falling, for the very same reasons.

Cooper writes about his daughter, Zoe's diagnosis and treatment in just the first thirty five pages of this book. I feel like I could probably write a few hundred pages on my daughter's experience during this time of her treatment. However, I was grateful for the matter of fact-ness of this portion of the book.  Reading Cooper's account of his daughter's diagnosis and treatment certainly brought back many memories.  

Cooper doesn't just write about Zoe's treatment, but he does write a great deal about how the cancer diagnosis changed his life and their family dynamic.  I can relate to this story in a way most people cannot.  

Cooper is a children's book illustrator, but his writing is magnificent.  He is able to tie in Zoe's cancer diagnosis to other experiences in his life. While this book hit me different than most readers because of my experiences as a cancer mom, Falling is a must read.

Thanks to Elisha Cooper for writing this important memoir that shares what one family endured and how they managed to go on living.