RECONFIGURED

A cancer survivor reshapes her life following her diagnosis in this debut memoir by Terao.

Within months of leaving her “emotionally impoverished” marriage and relocating from Illinois to her dream home on Whidbey Island, Washington, Terao was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. The author briefly touches on her childhood, particularly her love of the outdoors and First Nations cultures; as the author notes, “I looked beyond my own WASP culture for alternative perspectives.” The memoir details Terao’s arduous journey through chemotherapy, a mastectomy, and further surgery to remove lymph nodes after her cancer returned. Terao recounts how her husband and daughters helped her through her treatment and how she found a sense of self during this time, rearranging elements of her life for the better and connecting more deeply with nature. Her seemingly doomed relationship also began to evolve positively, as she and her husband learned to “lead more” with their hearts. Terao is an emotionally observant author whose natural positivity shines through the difficult subject matter: “Letting the breeze dry my cheeks, I thought, Don’t get stuck on disappointments, depression, or despair. Be like the flowing river.” The memoir’s power is in its message that suffering “carves out space” in our hearts “for more compassion,” and illness provides an opportunity for us to discover our better selves. The narrative places great emphasis on Terao’s medical treatment, but although the author alludes to attending “Healing Circles” and applying “spiritual practices,” the healing period following treatment is only addressed in a few brief chapters. Readers may desire a more developed discussion of Terao’s spiritual beliefs. Still, those facing similar struggles will delight in Terao’s moments of epiphany, like when she declares triumphantly: “I love me, I love life…I make way for the new.”

Stirringly inspirational, though it leaves the reader wanting more.