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Hesitant Hope: A memoir of anguish, endurance and healing. cover

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    • 978-1-5255-2077-8
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  • Keywords
    • Cancer,
    • Surgery,
    • Chemotherapy,
    • HIPEC treatment,
    • Diagnosis,
    • Recovery,
    • Family

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Hesitant Hope: A memoir of anguish, endurance and healing.
by Helen DeVries


In 2013, Helen DeVries received a death sentence – stage IV cancer of the appendix. Her only hope was a drastic surgery that would take twenty hours and require removing the contents of her abdomen and flushing the peritoneal cavity with highly concentrated, heated chemotherapy – an extremely invasive procedure requiring days in intensive care and weeks in the hospital. The alternative was three to six months of symptom-free living followed by palliative care for another two and a half to three years… “but certainly not five years.” The HIPEC (hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy) treatment would take place at Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital, but to even qualify for the procedure would require a six-month chemotherapy regime. Hesitant Hope maps out the psychological landscape she and those close to her had to cross and illustrates the importance of a strong support network of family and friends. A lucid, unflinching look at a subject that will touch almost everyone at some point in their life. While cancer treatments continue to evolve, statistics remain ominous – 1 in 2 Canadians can be expected to develop cancer in their lifetime.



This book is an exceedingly worthwhile read for anyone who has experienced, or is about to confront, a complex medical itinerary, patients and loved ones alike. Ms. DeVries has distilled her complicated medical journey into a well-written, engaging, medical tale that is eminently readable. Within the ebb and flow of this real-life drama, she provides insightful, potent words which reward the reader with that most treasured of convictions: hope. -Dr. James Biagi, Medical Oncologist, Associate Professor Helen DeVries has written a courageous, honest, and moving account of her experience with a rare form of cancer. The knowledge and hope in her words will inspire and strengthen others, whether patients or their families and friends, who face a similar struggle. -Maurice Breslow, Author, Playwright


Helen DeVries photo

Helen DeVries believes there is power in sharing – power that will touch those on a similar path, and family and friends seeking a perspective from the other side. She lives in Napanee, Ontario, with her husband, Sid. Hesitant Hope is her first book.


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