What happens when the professional caregiver is diagnosed with a life-threatening disease? This is precisely what happened to chaplain Debra Jarvis. Jarvis has written a realistic story of cancer survivorship that is refreshing, inspiring, and informative. Debra Jarvis is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. She has worked as a hospice spiritual counselor and currently serves as a general oncologist chaplain for the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. She is a commentator for National Public radio and frequently speaks at conferences and workshops on caner, death and dying, medical staff care, and spirituality.

I found her book to be authentic and engaging. It is worthwhile reading for those who are survivors as well as caregivers. She reflects: "I learned much about cancer from being a patient, and probably the most astounding thing to discover was only a small part of the cancer experience is about medicine. Most of it is about feelings and faith, and losing and finding your identity, and discovering strength and flexibility you never knew you had. It's also about looking at life and staring death in the eye. It's about realizing the most valuable things in life are not things at all, but relationships." These words are reflected in the title of her book, to remind caregivers that cancer is a mixture of curse and blessing - and the blessings are experienced as gifts that are not often apparent to the naked eye of the observer.

The author uses her personal journal, shared from the moment she received the news of her demise, and expands upon her entries to paint a vivid picture of her life as a cancer patient, including excerpts describing her interactions with those around her. She is real about the personal and social dilemmas faced when having to ask for help. She wrestles with her faith, seeking assurance from the Almighty when she faces a deep sense of powerlessness. Her writing style includes an internal dialogue which she places on the pages in order to engage and the reader to enter the drama for the sake of learning and finding inspiration.

Having been employed as a chaplain in a large metropolitan hospital, I found many aspects of Jarvis's journey to be universal in the sense that I have heard those common themes associated with the cancer journey to be reflected in so many patient and caregiver stories. Jarvis has a way of giving those themes life and substance, depth, and color which portray the rich basic elemental aspects of human life, when disease threatens to annihilate one's existence. I recommend It's Not About The Hair to those who are seeking strength and encouragement when life's journey includes an encounter with cancer.

Reviewer: Rev. David Jenkins