Addy Biron completed his combat service in the Israeli military at the age of 23, fighting tooth and nail against brutal enemies and conditions, only to learn that several years later in Boston Massachusetts, he was up against a more unimaginable and complex foe. It was cancer.
'Life Interrupted,' depicts the inexhaustible challenges Addy had faced throughout his young adult years with a life altering diagnosis that brought him from a life full of vitality and adventure, to one where he could barely climb up a set of stairs, or get out of bed.
Addy shares the intimate, the quirky, the personal, and the mind-boggling experiences he encounters throughout the multiple, and laborious journeys of his on-again, off-again fight against cancer. His story resonates with those who have been in his shoes, and it provides inspiration for other young adult cancer patients currently fighting their prognosis. It brings to life the numerous tribulations that are unique to young adult cancer patients, many of which are ignored, or misunderstood by those looking at it from the outside, in, including the patient's family, and close support circles.
Amidst the 4 relapses, 2 bone marrow transplants, chemo, infections, a massive outburst of post- transplant flare ups, episodes of PTSD, and a near death experience, Addy's experiences portray the journey of a young adult in a bustling city, trying to regain a sense of stability and continuity throughout his rollercoaster life. He discloses direct and profound observations, holding nothing back, avoiding the obvious clichés, and with a flavor of humor, gravity, and sarcasm on the world of dating, friendships, his job, his hobbies, the medical world, and dealing with a concerned family that lives 5,000 miles away in Israel.
He lays out to his audience a wide range of personal accounts, anywhere from absurd mental and physical preparations before a first date, to the challenges of keeping up with his on-the-go friends, to the frustrations about constantly having to cancel his social plans due to unexpected health related interruptions.
'Life Interrupted' is a passionate memoir that embodies the daily mental battles of a young adult cancer patient that are far deeper and disturbing than another chemo IV or biopsy. It brings out the ugly, the rough, the triumphant and the courageous, each at its respective and deserving moment.
