Since her bone marrow transplant, Dawn Rochelle has been free of leukemia symptoms. It is summer, and she is off to cancer camp. Dawn had planned on working the whole summer with Rhonda in her uncle's ice cream parlor. She really wanted to put the whole idea of leukemia behind her, but Joan Clark talks her into becoming a counselor-in-training. Soon after she arrives she meets a vaguely familiar boy who is also a CIT. Dawn is not surprised when she finds out that he is Brent Chandler, Sandy's brother. Many of Dawn's carefully thought-out plans to make her girls welcome are destroyed by an angry young girl named Marlee. Dawn soon realizes that Marlee's anger hides fright and a lack of self-confidence. She and her cabin mates strive to make Marlee fit in; sometimes against great odds. They know they've accomplished something when Marlee decides to play this year's practical joke on Dr. Ben. After camp, Marlee goes back to the hospital. Dawn begins visiting her every day. She loans Marlee Mr. Ruggers to keep her company. By helping Marlee, Dawn can is a small way repay the help that Sandy gave her.
I gave it five stars because I thought I could relate to what Dawn is thinking. She is fifteen years old Dawn has survived cancer not once, but twice. No one knows the battle better then she does. That’s why Dawn agrees to be a camp counselor for young kids with cancer the same thing that Dawn and her friend Sandy had attended when they were little. But now that Sandy is dead she can not live without her. What I didn’t like about it was it kept on dragging on so I just wanted to know what will happen next.
What do You think about So Much To Live For (2003)?
Book three of the Six Months to Live series is as powerful and exciting as "Six Months" to live. It takes a little different twist by introducing a new friend into Dawn's life but this new girl was mean and spiteful. She was angry with the world for the cancer it had given her and took it out on everyone around her. At first I thought this out of place but as the story unfolds I could see how this was all part of the cancer story, or rather the living life of those who had cancer. Her big wish was to be kissed before she died. So when you read it be sure you have a lot of Kleenex on hand. The author Lurlene McDaniel works her literary magic in helping us all to understand this strange world of young cancer patients; those who are survivors and those who succumb to the disease. She not only paves the way for those with debilitation diseases to live life to the full even beyond their limiting diseases; she shows healthy people how do deal with life too. This is truly a wonderful read and should be required reading for all of us. This is really a very talented author.
—Frank
