Summary

This is an outstanding memoir of Maria, whose three-year-old daughter was diagnosed with and died from a rare form of cancer. The story spans the year of Hannah's illness and seven years after her death. Although the subject matter is sad, this is a positive, inspiring book that focuses on Hannah and her family's strength and wisdom throughout this time and gives lessons on joy, faith, courage and hope.

Quotes

"Mommy do children ever die?" …….
"Yes Hannah, sometimes children die," I said quietly. Another drop in the pond. A question rolled off my tongue before I had a chance to think about it.
"Do you know what happens when they die?" I asked,
Silence; without breath.
"Uh-huh," she said "they go to heaven and keep God Company." She gripped my hand tighter and hopped like a bunny onto the sidewalk.

Truth is fierce and unrelenting. We cannot change it, but we can change the way we live with it. Making mistakes, not being loved and dying are inescapable experiences of being human: so is our fear of them. By facing those fears we have a chance to step beyond them. When we are willing to do the best we can with what we know, to be honest with ourselves and others about who we are and what really matters to us, only then are the lives we live and love truly our own.

Faith is not about believing but about letting go of beliefs. Faith does not hope and pray for things to be different sometime in the future. Faith is the still heart that refuses nothing, our willingness to trust things as they are.

Compassion does not feel sorry in the face of suffering; it knows that all suffering is its own. When we recognize this connection between us and everyone else, we know that we belong to each other; we do not suffer alone.

General Themes

This is a great reference for those dealing with a loved one having cancer because it provides an honest, frank description of what it was like for the whole family through the ordeal of the Hannah's illness. It also highlights the importance of being a child's advocate at such a difficult time, to ensure that both the medical and emotional needs are met by health care professionals.

What the Reviewer Liked

This book shows us that we can learn from children like Hannah. When my own child was in the terminal stages of her life, this book would have been very comforting for me, because I was told that even though a child may be very young, it is possible that they have an awareness of what is happening to their bodies. They can understand that their body is dying; they simply accept it and are unafraid. I found this difficult to believe at the time and these facts are clearly presented in Hannah's story.

Shortcomings or Flaws

None.

Writing Style

A very quick easy read with short chapters, the story just flows.

Author Qualifications

Maria Housden is a lecturer, an author and an advocate for quality of end of life issues. She has also served on the board of the Kimberly Fund, a non-profit organization for families facing life-threatening illnesses. She was also Hannah's Mother.

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Kara is the Gothic root of the word "care."
It means to reach out, to care, to lament, to grieve with.