Advance Praise for The Lovin’ Ain’t Over for Women with Cancer
I am a prostate cancer survivor. Seven years ago I lost my wife of 47 years to breast cancer. I am no stranger to this disease and its consequences to all aspects of one's life.
This book treats matters that doctors, therapists, and friends rarely want to touch. It deals with preserving intimacy, and all the support that flows from a loving relationship, for women who are recovering from cancer therapy. The authors provide the knowledge and inspiration for patients and their significant others to defeat this disease by resuming a fulfilling life. Read it!
—Jess Rifkind
Los Angeles, CA
All the questions you are afraid to ask about your sex life after cancer are answered in The Lovin’ Ain’t Over for Women with Cancer. Praise to Ralph and Barbara for providing women, their partners, and the healing professionals who treat them with a complete guide to reclaiming, relearning, & rediscovering intimacy and sexuality after cancer. This book is a remarkable resource that contains the information you will need to take you from living on the edge after cancer to a new and exciting normal!
—Patti L. Renko, MSW, LCSW-C
Sex-cessful Relationships & Psychotherapy, LLC
Woman, sister, friend, survivor
Ellicott City, MD
Helping women cancer survivors find their ‘new normal’ in their intimate life has finally found a voice. Ralph and Barbara Alterowitz offer practical, down to earth information combined with caring and compassion. Because they survived the effects of cancer in their own sexual life as a couple, they understand the need for practical and meaningful information. Through this well-researched, sensitive and helpful book, they are helping so many survivors reclaim and revive their sexual selves.
—Paula Plona, ACSW, OSW-C
Oncology Social Worker, Payson Center for Cancer Care
Concord Hospital, Concord, NH
Intimate, imaginative, inspiring and informative! An engaging, empathic yet practical, “hands-on” guide to making love again after a woman gets cancer. “How-to” manuals don’t get better than this! It’s a must-read for women and men alike.
—Rabbi Ed Weinsberg, EdD, DD, author of Conquer Prostate Cancer: How Medicine, Faith, Love and Sex Can Renew Your Life
Sarasota, FL
This is a very empowering book for women dealing with breast cancer and their partners. It provides a myriad of information and resources, but more importantly it encourages women and couples to value intimacy, touching, and sexuality during and after their cancer treatment. The authors discuss in detail psychological, biological, and relational factors which promote healthy sexuality after cancer, and they urge women to own their bodies, rather than their body and sexuality being controlled by the disease and treatment. The empowering message is you can live a quality, satisfying intimate and erotic life during and after cancer treatment. Strongly recommended.
—Barry McCarthy, Ph.D.
Washington Psychological Center, P.C.
Professor of Psychology, American University, Wasington, D.C.
Author of Rekindling Desire, Discovering Your Couple Sexual Style and other books on sexuality
The Lovin’ Ain’t Over for Women with Cancer is encouraging, comprehensive, holistic, and positive. It even made me feel less anxious about the possibility of me or my family getting it (g-d forbid). The book is exceptionally well organized. I love that it covers such a holistic approach. The newest Alterowitz book is a one-of-a-kind support for female cancer survivors. It is really inspiring.
—Mieke R. Sidorsky, LSW, Sex Therapist
Silver Spring, MD
Generally, sexual life is not evaluated in the medical setting. When there is a disease like cancer, the attention is focused on the physical aspects of the patients, and the evaluation and treatment of the disease.
Ralph and Barbara Alterowitz pay attention to the importance of self-esteem and of intimacy in a relationship. I recommend the reading of this book to any person who suffers from cancer and to their partner. This book is an essential reference for primary physicians, nurses and all people involved in the care of cancer patients.
—Isbelia Segnini MS C-AASECT
Clinic Psychologist - Sexologist - Marital Therapist
Policlínica Santiago de León
Caracas, Edo. Miranda, Venezuela
This book is an asset for the woman who is interested in regaining her sexuality and intimacy after cancer. It is a thoughtful resource guide. This book will help the lives of patients and their partners through awareness of the assessment and treatment process coupled with the knowledge of the physical, psychological, medical and surgical causes of sexual problems. This book is clear and meaningful, not only about living with cancer, but more importantly about reclaiming a loving sensual and intimate life!
—Michael Krychman MD
Executive Director
Southern California Center for Sexual Health and Survivorship Medicine, Newport Beach
AASECT Certified Sexual Counselor
Associate Clinical Attending USC, Los Angeles, CA
Associate Clinical Attending UCI, Irvine, CA
What a find! The Alterowitzes offer an easy to read, comprehensive and frank guide to the female cancer survivor and partner. As more and more medical advances and openness about cancer mean that there are more and more persons who survive and go on to lead productive lives, the need for this resource is wide spread. But the resource is also pertinent for anyone living with ongoing health concerns. I encourage any person in a helping profession—medical, pastoral, or counseling—to include this valuable resource in your library, and its information in your head.
—Youtha C. Hardman-Cromwell
Assistant Dean
Wesley Seminary at Mount Vernon Square
908 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington DC 20001
The Lovin’ Ain’t Over for Women with Cancer
Ralph and Barbara Alterowitz
The material provided in The Lovin’ Ain’t Over for Women with Cancer is for informational purposes only. The information contained in this book is not intended as a substitute for medical advice; it does not endorse any products. All matters pertaining to your mental and physical health should be supervised by a health care provider. The authors and publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss, damage, or injury caused, directly or indirectly, by the use of the information contained in this book.
Names of survivors and partners mentioned in this book have been changed to protect their confidentiality.
Every reasonable effort has been made to trace the sources of materials in this book, but in some instances this has proven impossible. The authors and publisher will be glad to receive information leading to more complete acknowledgements in subsequent printings of the book and in the meantime extend their apologies for any omissions.
Published by CIACT, Inc. Publishing.
This work is subject to copyright. All rights reserved. Except in a review or critical articles, the reproduction or utilization of this work in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying, and recording, and any information storage and retrieval system, is forbidden without permission of the publisher.