Survivors: Your Best Friend’s Journey with Cancer: review
November 24, 2010 • Product Reviews
aime Rowe wrote to me about her new book. She told me, “1 in 4 dogs die of cancer. Awareness of canine cancer is growing but still many dog owners are unaware of the symptoms and treatment options with today’s new technology.”
True indeed. I wanted to know more. As a dog mom to a dog who fought and beat cancer twice (mast cell), and eventually succumbed to what was suspected as liver cancer, the title of her book applies to my belated Brandy as well as to me: Survivors – Your Best Friend’s Journey with Cancer. However, the images and the survivors depicted within are all dogs. Each one of them a survivor in their own war against cancer.
Jaime Rowe is a photographer and her images have appeared on magazine covers and calendars nationwide. The mostly pictorial book combines gorgeous images of dogs with comments on each page written in the dog’s voice. Each of these dogs loves life post cancer and Jaime Rowe captures both the visual and contextual portrait that is a survivor.
This is one of those books you fondly come back to when your spirits are down. Whether the images perk you up or the text tickles your Fido fancy, these dogs are the faces of warriors. I asked Rowe where she found this pack of wagging wonders. She worked with the staff at Colorado State University’s Animal Cancer Center. Proceeds from the book are donated to Bow Wow Buddies, the group funding the Medical Oncology Residency Program at Colorado State University.
Have a dog battling cancer? These pages showcase hope. Lost a beloved canine family member to the disease? These pages lift the spirits. In fact, we double dog dare you to peruse the pages of this book and not smile, share the images with a loved one or finish the book and go hug your own pooch.
On a very special side note, I noticed Ms. Rowe dedicated this book to her childhood dog, Lady, who amazingly and ironically looks like my beloved Brandy Noel, who I lost to cancer.
It is said pictures speak a thousand words. The wonderment and joy in the eyes of the dogs in this book speak volumes to the testament of spirit, the will of hope and the magic in survival. Those are the qualities Jaime Rowe’s images bring to eternal life in these pictures.
Note: We accept no monetary compensation for reviews. Review is NOT sponsored by Jaime Rowe and is the sole opinion of the reviewer for FIDO Friendly magazine. We welcome your feedback and comments.
