Top 5 for Friday - Daffodil Day

Hands up anyone whose life hasn't been touched in some way by cancer. Yourself, family, friends, colleagues? Hmmm - didn't think there would be many of you. So that's why today's Top 5 for Friday addresses the subject that only used to be discussed in whispers and behind closed doors. Today's Top 5 books deal with CANCER.

1. Lance Armstrong. Regardless of the drug debate and his cycling career, there is no doubt that Lance Armstrong fought and survived cancer and is today the inspirational figurehead of the Live Strong organisation. His books It's not about the bike, Every second counts and Live strong are all worthy and inspiring reads to start the list. There are also plenty of other biographies of those who have fought cancer.


2. My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult. There is a huge amount of fiction on our shelves dealing with cancer battles, the impact of the battle on family and friends and how people cope. This is one of the most high profile and one of Jodi's best. This is the story of how a family is ripped apart by the battle to keep one child alive . It was last year made into a successful movie.


3. Nicki's mum - Dot Meharry. There aren't a lot of picture books dealing with Cancer, but this New Zealand one is a great introduction for younger members of the family. There are also childrens fiction and teen fiction titles for slightly older children. You shouldn't have to say goodbye (Patricia Hermes) is a particularly good book.


4. Help Me Live - 20 things people with cancer want you to know - Lori Hope. Everyone deals with cancer differently and that includes the people around the person who actually has the disease. Often this is because they just don't know what to do or say. This book is one of the many that we have in the library that can help.


5. Understanding Cancer - Auckland Cancer Society. As well as the wealth of information on our shelves, especially in our non-fiction medical section, all Rodney Libraries also have this resource on our Reference shelves. As well there is a link through to the NZ Cancer Organisation.