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Submitted by Dr S. Patel on 20 May 2020

The cancer journeys of the author Teresa Thyne and her dogs intertwine in this heart warming and funny tale. Shital Patel shares her review of the book.   

Assuming this book was a chronicle about rescuing dogs, as you turn the pages, you soon realise it is more (a lot more) than that. Having survived cancer, both the author and her beloved beagle Seamus embark onto a new life mission of changing their old food habits for a healthier and hopefully cancer-free future. However, just as they immerse themselves into this new diet, Seamus develops yet another cancer and soon after succumbs to it. Seamus’ death turns Teresa’s life and beliefs upside down because so far her faith rested on the fact that if the dog could survive and fight cancer, so could she (as penned in her first book titled “The dog lived (and so will I)).

Seamus had not only been her role-model for fighting cancer but also her teacher, healer and best buddy. Her confidence in syncing their cancers and recovery the first time around was now shaken. If Seamus’ cancer had returned so would her’s. If Seamus lost his 2nd battle to cancer so would she.

Still grief-stricken, Teresa decides to foster a female beagle from the Beagle Freedom Project, a non-profit organization that works towards rescue, advocacy and placement of animals used in laboratory testing. As the new foster warms up to her new accommodation, Theresa dives deeper into her research about animal testing and the food industry. She goes on to adopt an almost vegan plant-based diet, cruelty-free cosmetics, personal care items, home products and even clothing. This radical change in life-style along with work (as a self-employed lawyer by profession), adoption of her foster and another male beagle who refuse to get along, a cancer diagnosis for her female beagle, and her own impending oncology follow-up all start to take their toll on her and her partner Chris. As the stress factors surge, so do her anxiety levels.

When her father and partner intervene to point out the growing tension all around her, Teresa realizes it’s time to take a step back and review it all. She clams down on her obsessive reading and allows the new fosters to settle down on their own. With a cancer-free MRI test result on her follow-up and settled dogs, tranquillity seeps back into her life and home.

This heart warming and often funny tale of a woman and her journey with her dogs and cancer teaches you that the fight is never over, so don’t give up!

Recommended for cancer patients and survivors and dog parents, including those who have seen their dogs fall ill.

 https://www.amazon.com/Dogs-Were-Rescued-So-Was/dp/1492603384

 

 

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