From Hell to Happiness by Christopher Cooper

Sorrow and hope are equally mixed in From Hell to Happiness: How to Heal When Your Loved One Is Terminal, an inspiring memoir about life with a cancer sufferer by Christopher Cooper.

Cooper and his wife Jenn were enjoying a happy, successful life in their early 30s, with two sons and good career prospects. Then Jenn was diagnosed with a serious form of cancer and the long-term outlook was grim: even with heavy chemo treatments and surgery, she might likely have a fatal recurrence of the disease.

Cooper describes his day-to-day struggles: how to tell the boys what was happening, how to maintain a reasonable lifestyle as Jenn became progressively weaker, how to deal with depression, rage and, at times, repression, as well as how to cherish the happy moments when they arose. His story is one of leading by example, so anyone facing similar circumstances can take a lot from his experiences, and the way he has handled both happiness and despair.

Cooper writes with admirable honesty, in a personal, almost conversational style that immediately engages. He includes touching photos of Jenn and his sons that heighten the sense of sadness any sensitive reader will feel as they absorb his tragic account. But he is careful to show that despite their grief, he and his boys have reached a calm, stable plateau, honoring Jenn’s memory with a newly constructed family that one feels sure she would fully have encouraged.

A heartfelt memorial, From Hell to Happiness is the story of one family’s struggle, but it will also be immensely helpful to anyone caring for a sick loved one.