My Life Beyond Leukemia: A Mayo Clinic patient story (Paperback)

Description

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The “My Life Beyond” graphic book series tells the true stories of Mayo Clinic patients. Featuring 36 beautiful, fully illustrated pages, this graphic novel shares the inspiring story of Rae Burremo’s experience with leukemia.

After going through treatment for leukemia, Amy is used to visiting the hospital. As she falls asleep for another medical test, she suddenly finds herself on an adventure. With the help of a shrinking potion, other magic tools and some friends, she’s on a mission to help other kids face leukemia and its treatment. 

What is it really like to have this childhood cancer? Find out how Amy beats leukemia and discovers life beyond her illness.

Children’s voices are rarely heard amid the complexity of modern medicine. That's why every story in the My Life Beyond series stems from the imagination and experience of a Mayo Clinic patient. The books were developed through collaboration between these patients, Mayo Clinic physicians and author-illustrator Hey Gee. Through this unique lens of inspiring real-life experiences, the series explores how children view illness, challenges and recovery.

Leukemia is estimated to affect 1 in every 1000 children, but children’s voices and their experiences with this disease are rarely heard. Created through collaboration between pediatric patients, their doctors, and children’s author and illustrator Hey Gee, My Life Beyond Leukemia dives into the minds and imaginations of child patients at Mayo Clinic to explain how children experience illness, challenges, and recovery.

The “My Life Beyond” graphic novel book series is published in collaboration with Fondation Ipsen.

About the Author

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Rae Burremo was a typical 5 year old when she developed leg pain that left her limping.  For a couple weeks, her parents and doctors tried to figure out what was causing it until finally they looked at her legs with an MRI and she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.  She had a great group of friends and family who supported her through treatment by making sure she always had her favorite salty snacks and plenty of art supplies.  Rae loves spaghetti with red sauce, peperoni pizza, and every kind of fruit.  She is passionate about animals, is a devoted friend, loves to listen to music, draw, jump on the trampoline, swim, figure skate and visit Disney World with her family.  Rae is now a healthy 10-year-old in fourth grade who dreams of being an interior designer when she grows up.

Dr. Mira Kohorst is a board-certified Pediatric Hematologist and Oncologist. She is also an Assistant Professor of Pediatric Hematology Oncology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Kohorst specializes in treating cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, and bone marrow failure syndromes in pediatric patients, and has published 14 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and numerous abstracts about these conditions. Dr. Kohorst was the recipient of the 2020 Excellence in Supportive/Palliative Care Award from MD Anderson Cancer Center and was recognized as the Pauline Robinson “Robin” Bush Honorary Fellow at the Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education.

Praise For…

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Grades 3-6. The Mayo Clinic’s My Life Beyond series (3 titles) takes the experiences of real kids and turns them into graphic-novel stories that both educate readers and offer support to those in similar situations. A short foreword, not much over a paragraph, by the child who inspired the story offers some context for the story to come, and high-level back matter best suited to caregivers or educators provides definitions of key medical terms and a note about the featured topic from the book’s medical editor. Autism reads like straightforward nonfiction, though C. Ano’s experiences with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are demonstrated through the fictional character of Tracy, who walks readers through some of the social, emotional, and sensory challenges she’s overcome, as well as her hobbies and interests. For all the titles, cartoon-style artwork relates the plot as well as the feelings and perceptions of the main characters. These stories will help readers understand others’ experiences and build empathy while learning basic facts about common diseases, disorders, and social struggles.
— Booklist (February 1, 2022 (Vol. 118, No. 11))