About the Author
Janice Bowles is a Sydney based illustrator and graphic designer who has worked in educational publishing for over 20 years. She has illustrated many books and her work has been published in Australia, the UK and the United States of America.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2015.
“I was overwhelmed – I didn’t understand the medical terms and there was too much to read. I just wanted simple and logical information. Although my doctors explained everything, I couldn't remember much and I didn't want to look at distressing photographs. I felt as if it wasn't happening to me.”
After treatment, with time to research and encouragement from my oncologist and surgeon, I decided to write the guide that I wish I’d had.
I've put it in the order that things usually happen – you can refer to each stage as it applies to you.
I'm not a doctor or medical person, so I've used the information that is readily available from many wonderful cancer organisations. I've condensed and simplified it, illustrated where I could, and linked information that I found in different places. I ensured that it was medically sound by having it checked and corrected by my specialists. But it is vitally important that you take treatment advice from your own doctors because you are unique and they will have special advice just for you.
I hope that by making this guide easy to read and pleasant to look at, you will want to keep it close and refer to it often.
“Jan has used her personal experience to improve communication for other patients. This book is a thorough breakdown of the issues facing women with early breast cancer, using simple terms. I hope that future patients will use this book to help them ask the right questions during a diagnosis of breast cancer, and also as an easy to read source of information.”
A/Prof Sanjay Warrier
RPA Institute of Academic Surgery, University of Sydney Central Clinical School, Academic Head, Department of Breast Surgery, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse