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A Series of Catastrophes and Miracles  By  cover art

A Series of Catastrophes and Miracles

By: Mary Elizabeth Williams
Narrated by: Mary Elizabeth Williams
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Publisher's summary

A wry, witty account of what it is like to face death - and be restored to life.

After being diagnosed in her early 40s with metastatic melanoma - a "rapidly fatal" form of cancer - journalist and mother of two Mary Elizabeth Williams finds herself in a race against the clock. She takes a once-in-a-lifetime chance and joins a clinical trial for immunotherapy, a revolutionary drug regimen that trains the body to vanquish malignant cells. Astonishingly, her cancer disappears entirely in just a few weeks. But at the same time, her best friend embarks on a cancer journey of her own - with very different results.

Williams' experiences as a patient and a medical test subject reveal with stark honesty what it takes to weather disease, the extraordinary new developments that are rewriting the rules of science - and the healing power of human connection.

©2016 Mary Elizabeth Williams (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about A Series of Catastrophes and Miracles

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Believe!

I have metastatic breast cancer, this book has given me hope that was not there before. Thank you, Mary Elizabeth Williams! Great job, I think it should be a movie!

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5 people found this helpful

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Great writing & great heart

Mary Elizabeth is an excellent writer and tells an incredible story of love and loss.

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2 people found this helpful

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love this book

The true story give you strength, sense of humor, hope. Thanks for science change the world.

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1 person found this helpful

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Excellent book!

This is an incredibly inspiring, thoughtful, educational and humorous book. I will recommend it to everyone. Be well and keep writing Mary Elizabeth.

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1 person found this helpful

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Raw and real

Thanks for sharing your journey good bad, heartbreaking and joyous. Wonderful to listen and hear the feelings and emotions.

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F*ck Cancer

Mary Elizabeth does such an eloquent job explaining the triumphs and tribulations experienced by patients. So beautifully written and happy to hear it narrated by her as well!

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Perspective

I don't write to rate the story because it is your experience. Obviously, told in the voice of a skilled writer (I always find it interesting how overwhelmed people can share details of a harrowing experience so clearly in hindsight).

While people with cancer die engaging kale and prayer, they also die engaging science. The correlating statement at the end feels belittling of the cancer patients and their families for whom science had no answer, their disease showed up with "poor timing" and Kale and prayer were the only things that didn't feel like totally giving up.

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Amazing

Absolutely love this book ! Read it , you’ll love it too !! Enjoyed it from beginning until the end .

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Great heartfelt journey!

Loved the book!
Very heartfelt journey of multiple battles with cancer. Can relate to the author's many different experiences, but in my own ways.
I'm a cancer survivor as well and have lost others dear to me, to cancer.
I'm definitely looking forward to any new books written by this author!

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Starts out a little trite but gets very personal and real

A touching story with good if out of date information for cancer patients - still a good jumping off point for researching immunotherapy.
Worth a read.

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