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Assertive Cancer Patient speaks to writing as help
Author Jeanne Sather speaks out on cancer, being assertive with doctors, health care
Daniel Acee
Issue date: 5/21/08 Section: News
Jeanne Sather has found that the best way to handle a potentially deadly disease is to sit down at a keyboard and start writing.
Tuesday, author Jeanne Sather of "The Assertive Cancer Patient" spoke to faculty, staff and students of OSU. Sather spoke of her life with cancer and the importance of being an assertive cancer patient.
Deanna Kingston, associate professor for the anthropology department, discovered Sather's blog online while doing research as she was undergoing treatment for cancer.
Kingston had many topics she wanted to discuss with Sather, and felt it would be a positive educational opportunity to bring her to OSU.
With help from the anthropology department, the women studies program and the Women's Center, Sather's visit was fully funded.
"We (Sather and Kingston) hadn't even talked on the phone before, just through e-mails," Sather said. "We haven't stopped talking since she picked me up from the train station yesterday, and we haven't even gotten to our list [of topics discussed over e-mail] yet."
Sather was diagnosed with cancer nine and a half years ago at the age of 43. She was a single mom with a temporary job that was about to end, and her health insurance ended when her job did.
Sather underwent multiple treatments and was told by the doctors that her life expectancy was "on the slim side" of an 80 percent survival rate.
After treatment had temporarily controlled the cancer, Sather's doctor found a tumor in her arm that weakened the bone and caused it to break.
Sather continued to experience problems with cancer, as she was diagnosed as also having bone cancer and melanoma.
To earn money to support her medical costs and her family's costs, Sather began writing.
"I started writing a weekly column called 'Jeanne's Battle,' which as I had seen was the first cancer writing that was in the moment," Sather said. "All the other articles I had seen from people living with cancer were written after the fact."
Tuesday, author Jeanne Sather of "The Assertive Cancer Patient" spoke to faculty, staff and students of OSU. Sather spoke of her life with cancer and the importance of being an assertive cancer patient.
Deanna Kingston, associate professor for the anthropology department, discovered Sather's blog online while doing research as she was undergoing treatment for cancer.
Kingston had many topics she wanted to discuss with Sather, and felt it would be a positive educational opportunity to bring her to OSU.
With help from the anthropology department, the women studies program and the Women's Center, Sather's visit was fully funded.
"We (Sather and Kingston) hadn't even talked on the phone before, just through e-mails," Sather said. "We haven't stopped talking since she picked me up from the train station yesterday, and we haven't even gotten to our list [of topics discussed over e-mail] yet."
Sather was diagnosed with cancer nine and a half years ago at the age of 43. She was a single mom with a temporary job that was about to end, and her health insurance ended when her job did.
Sather underwent multiple treatments and was told by the doctors that her life expectancy was "on the slim side" of an 80 percent survival rate.
After treatment had temporarily controlled the cancer, Sather's doctor found a tumor in her arm that weakened the bone and caused it to break.
Sather continued to experience problems with cancer, as she was diagnosed as also having bone cancer and melanoma.
To earn money to support her medical costs and her family's costs, Sather began writing.
"I started writing a weekly column called 'Jeanne's Battle,' which as I had seen was the first cancer writing that was in the moment," Sather said. "All the other articles I had seen from people living with cancer were written after the fact."
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