My heartfelt thanks go to the hundreds of people who have allowed me to share their healing journeys. To the members of the Cancer Conquerors Foundation, thank-you for inspiring me with your stories of living the well life. I felt a closeness to each of you as I wrote.
Thanks, too, to the residents of Country Meadows Assisted Living Communities. You’ve taught me about truly living. Whenever I have cited a story of yours, it’s a composite drawn from the real stories but with no resemblance to any one person’s experience. In all cases I hope the dignity, integrity, and courage of each person has been preserved.
My gratitude to my family — my wife, Linda, and our daughter, Erica — for allowing me to share some of our experiences. And thank-you for your support and patience when I’d lock myself in the study, writing, between trips away from home.
George and Mary Jane Leader, I am so deeply grateful to each of you. Your belief in and constant support of my work is a precious gift. I can’t express how much you mean to me and how our shared experience has given joy to my life.
To my friends at Harper San Francisco: Tom Grady, you grasped the vision of this project immediately; Caroline Pincus, your editorial touch is exceptional; Robin Seaman, your enthusiasm is contagious; and Clayton Carlson, you’ve never been afraid of a new idea. Thank-you all.
To God, for life, after it looked like mine on this planet was about to end, my deepest loving gratitude. Thank-you for giving me the opportunity to serve.