Sometimes a little blessing drops in your lap when you least expect it. When I was asked to look at the manuscript for this book, I have to admit to feeling paradoxically both grateful and ambivalent. Grateful because, as both a colorectal cancer survivor and a patient educator, the subject of eating well, and especially tastefully, while living with cancer is a topic most doctors do not address.
Overwhelmed patients do not think to ask about eating well. At the very least, I felt that a book such as this one would give medical professionals something to hand to patients. And yet, this was the source of my ambivalence as well, for the very few cookbooks aimed at cancer patients that have been published (many of which sit on my office shelf) just don’t grab you by the taste buds. These books tend to take a utilitarian approach to eating, with taste weighing in as a secondary factor.
And then there is this little gem. A little voice kept going off in my head as I read through the recipes and the accompanying text. It kept saying “yes, yes. Yes!!!” That was the voice of the survivor in me speaking. In tone, content, and taste, it is clear that chef Rebecca Katz really is a kindred spirit who doesn’t approach her work clinically, but rather from the heart. And yet (and I suppose this appeals to the educator in me) she approaches this book as a consummate professional.
If Rebecca were just an ordinary caring chef, that in itself would be appreciated. It is obvious that she delights in creating delicious recipes. However, it is abundantly apparent that Rebecca approaches this book with a depth of understanding for a survivor’s needs that, quite honestly, I’ve never before seen in a chef.
Her recipes combine taste with powerful immune-building ingredients, which are always at the forefront of a survivor’s mind. I know that having had cancer once makes me statistically more vulnerable to a relapse, so I want to eat foods that are rich in cancer-fighting antioxidants and vitamins.
Perhaps most impressive is Rebecca’s knowledge of how a survivor’s appetite changes while moving through the different phases of cancer diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and survivorship.
At every step, Rebecca is a true educator herself, informing survivors and their loved ones how to ride out the emotional and physiological roller coaster while staying tastefully nourished.
Speaking from personal experience, one of the most difficult aspects for a cancer patient is the unpredictability of one’s appetite from one day to the next especially during cancer treatments. This book takes that frustration away. It does the explaining for you. If you’re not up to cooking yourself, this book gently teaches friends and family how to prepare and bring over a wide variety of small meals that store well and are certain to offer options to fit varying appetites. That’s so important for everyone’s morale. Nothing makes my patients sadder during treatment than when their wonderful friends bring over foods they cannot (or should not) eat. Obviously this is no one’s “fault” as everyone is just playing it by ear. No more. This book takes away the guesswork, which is why I’m making sure each of my patients gets a copy. Now, when their caregivers ask “is there something I can make for you?” they can hand them this book and say “anything in here would be great!” Truthfully, I only wish I’d had this book when I was sick.
Regardless of where you are on your cancer journey, you’ll find something incredibly useful and uplifting within these pages. In some ways this is far more than a cookbook. It’s like sitting down with a compassionate friend.
Rebecca gets it.
Her down-to-earth tone is that of a close confidant, her words flavored with a savvy and wisdom that only come from personal experience. I’m glad she’s now a part of my life. After you read and use this book, I’m sure you’ll feel the same way.
—Eden Stotsky, MSEd
Director, Patient Education
Johns Hopkins Colon Cancer Center