It's tough living with a diagnosis of prostate cancer. While the disease has one of the highest survival rates of any cancer, the side effects of treatment can be distressing, life-long and take a heavy toll.
Compared with men in the general population, men with prostate cancer are twice as likely to experience depression and three times more likely to experience anxiety. For those who know them and love them, life is often never the same after a diagnosis.
Helping men deal with the major life stress of prostate cancer can make all the difference to their mental and physical health as they travel on their survivorship journey. Men and their partners need a map to find the path that will take them back to a sense of ease and coping; a way to make treatment decisions they can live with; to clearly communicate their healthcare needs; to seek the right level of psychological help appropriate for them.
That's why Professor Suzanne Chambers AO, a world leader in the psychology of prostate cancer, developed this practical guidebook through her research and clinical work with many men and their partners over more than 30 years.
Facing the Tiger is not a guidebook about treatment options and does not give any medical advice. It suggests different perspectives for men and their partners on where they would like to be as they progress through their cancer journey and proven strategies to help that progress. Personal stories from men and women highlight the issues discussed and provide vivid insights into how others deal with prostate cancer. The book draws from over a decade of psycho-oncology research and practice to acknowledge that everyone's experience of prostate cancer is their own. There is no one right or wrong way to approach this stressful time, but the right guidance is essential to finding your own way.
Industry Reviews
I thoroughly endorse Facing the Tiger as being essential reading for any man who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his partner, and his medical personnel. The psychosocial effects from the management of this disease has long represented one of the seriously unmet needs. - Peter Dornan AM, Physiotherapist, writer, sculptor, 2020 Senior Australian of the Year for Queensland - citation 'Men's Health Advocate'.; Being diagnosed with prostate cancer begins a journey no man -- or his partner -- wishes to take. But if fate finds you on it, Professor Suzanne Chambers' book will guide you. In clear and approachable prose and with real-world stories, Facing the Tiger not only points out the twists and turns, it also gives you practical advice on how to become a stronger, more confident man, a more supportive and effective partner. I highly recommend it. - Mark Lazenby, PhD, Fellow of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society and of the American Academy of Nursing; Professor of Nursing and Philosophy, University of Connecticut, USA.; This book raises psychosocial help to a new level for all prostate cancer patients. Inclusion and empathy form the spine of this helpful guidebook for emotional support. Facing the Tiger is required reading for all men with prostate cancer. - Darryl Mitteldorf, LCSW, Director, Malecare Cancer Support, New York, NY; In Facing the Tiger Suzanne Chambers brings her expertise as a psychologist who has helped people deal with cancer together with the experience of men, their partners and families who have had to deal with a prostate cancer diagnosis. In doing so I believe that Suzanne has provided a resource in which many men and their families will find comfort and reassurance that others have managed to deal with the challenges presented by a diagnosis of prostate cancer. - Prof. Alan McNeill, Consultant Urological Surgeon (Western General Hospital Edinburgh), Hon. Professor in the School of Engineering and physical Sciences Heriot Watt University, Trustee of Prostate Scotland; This wonderful book is written by one of the world leaders in prostate cancer psychology research. Facing the Tiger mixes evidence-based research with practical techniques to cope with the psychological diagnosis of prostate cancer. It also eloquently outlines the potential physical impact of prostate cancer progression or treatment side effects and provides important practical advice on management strategies. I strongly recommend this book for all men and partners faced with the diagnosis of prostate cancer. - Associate Professor John Yaxley, Wesley Urology Clinic, University of Queensland Department of Medicine, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, Brisbane Australia; Suzanne Chambers has been a long-time world leader in psychosocial prostate cancer. Facing the Tiger is an exceptional offering that will significantly advance the knowledge of men (and their partners) who encounter prostate cancer. Threaded through patient and partner experiences are practical strategies for recognizing and dealing effectively with the challenges that inevitably come with prostate cancer. Informed by world leading research this book is a must have easy- to-read resource that will inform and empower all who are exposed to prostate cancer. - John Oliffe, PhD, Professor and Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Men's Health Promotion, University of British Columbia; Suzanne brings with her many diverse voices of men living with prostate cancer and their loved ones, to share their stories. Facing the Tiger is not a medical textbook about cancer, this is a book about people affected by cancer who have so much more to share than just their cancer diagnosis. The suggestions have broad applicability: how to grapple with difficult decisions, clarify your priorities, connect, and belong. As the book points out, they are "what people with cancer have been asking for and doing themselves". Now, with Suzanne's expert help, the journey is clear! - Professor Bogda Koczwara AM, Medical Oncologist and Cancer Survivorship Researcher, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia; Facing the Tiger addresses prostate cancer from the patient's perspective. It provides critical information empowering men to make personal choices based on their individual perspectives and priorities, enabling them to choose their best path moving forward. The combination of evidence-based guidance with diverse personal stories makes for easy reading, with practical tips to empower patients to rationally choose a treatment option. This is a highly recommended resource for men with prostate cancer and those close to them. - David Nicol, Chief of Surgery, Consultant Urological Surgeon, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Professor of Surgical Oncology, Institute of Cancer Research, UK
