
Diary of a Radical Cancer Warrior
Fighting Cancer and Capitalism at the Cellular Level
Fred Ho(Author)
Skyhorse Publishing
Published on 16. October 2014
Book
Paperback/Softback
304 pages
978-1-62914-402-3 (ISBN)
Description
When American saxophonist and social activist Fred Ho was diagnosed with stage 3b colorectal cancer in 2006, he underwent immediate surgery to remove the tumor and began preparing for chemotherapy. Within days, his friends mobilized to arrange grocery deliveries, transportation, companionship, and housekeeping duties?they called themselves ?Warriors for Fred."
Fred chose to write his astonishing cancer memoir as a diary, acknowledging that all the greatest warriors from Sun Tzu to swordsman Musashi to Bruce Lee wrote daily diaries because warfare against a most formidable enemy will be won, ultimately, on the philosophical level. With incredibly detailed entries, Fred talks frankly about his battle?his meticulous research, his various treatments, his successes, and his failures. Together, he and his loved ones discuss plans for future artistic projects: a new opera on Antony and Cleopatra, a project with a native Alaskan totem carver, and an underwater ballet for synchronized swimmers. He learns to find joy in the simple things: the beauty of the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, a fresh pork bun, or a night of Battlestar Galactica on DVD. Above all, we learn what it means to truly live in the present?through Fred's unflinching description of the effects of colon cancer?and about his search not just for ?a cure" in a medical sense, but for true healing. For Fred, this includes understanding the way of the warrior?one who fights for beauty, justice, health, equity, and sustainability.
Fred chose to write his astonishing cancer memoir as a diary, acknowledging that all the greatest warriors from Sun Tzu to swordsman Musashi to Bruce Lee wrote daily diaries because warfare against a most formidable enemy will be won, ultimately, on the philosophical level. With incredibly detailed entries, Fred talks frankly about his battle?his meticulous research, his various treatments, his successes, and his failures. Together, he and his loved ones discuss plans for future artistic projects: a new opera on Antony and Cleopatra, a project with a native Alaskan totem carver, and an underwater ballet for synchronized swimmers. He learns to find joy in the simple things: the beauty of the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, a fresh pork bun, or a night of Battlestar Galactica on DVD. Above all, we learn what it means to truly live in the present?through Fred's unflinching description of the effects of colon cancer?and about his search not just for ?a cure" in a medical sense, but for true healing. For Fred, this includes understanding the way of the warrior?one who fights for beauty, justice, health, equity, and sustainability.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York, NY
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 226 mm
Width: 150 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
318 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-62914-402-3 (9781629144023)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
09/2011
1st Edition
Skyhorse Publishing
€10.87
Available for download
Persons
Fred Ho is an American jazz baritone saxophonist, composer, bandleader, playwright, writer, and social activist. He holds a BA degree in sociology from Harvard University. He is credited with cofounding several Asian American civic groups such as the East Coast Asian Students Union while a student at Harvard, the Asian American Arts Alliance in New York City, the Asian American Resource Center in Boston, and the Asian Improv record label. He currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.