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Standing On His Own Two Feet

Reviewed by Chris Skilton.

This book is a mother’s account of the events that follow from her teenage son’s diagnosis with a rare bone cancer, and the treatment, hope of recovery, cruel dashing of hope and terminal illness. The illness is harrowing, but so is the narrative which seemed to me to contain too much information and detail to the point of being intrusive into the lives of her son and the rest of her family. There are too many pages on which we read that he “screamed with pain”.

There is little pause for reflection in the course of the narrative and strangely no mention of God (even as a figure to be angry with), of hospital chaplaincy, prayer, the meaning and meaninglessness of suffering or engagement with a spiritual dimension to the circumstances that are described.

It contains within it a serious indictment of the medical care received (although its setting in Germany where the family lived make it difficult to relate to the British system - which is treated more positively when treatment is received in England). 

The book could be of interest to those who work in palliative care especially with young adults and who may minister to families going through a similar situation.