A master storyteller meets women ride dragons in real life. How to Ride a Dragon is a beautifully crafted tapestry of mythology, creative imagination, narrative and first-hand human experience that tells the stories of 22 dragon-boating women who are engaged in epic struggles with breast cancer. This is the story of those who have gone the whole distance with the dragon -- who have been dragon slayers and dragon lovers. Their wise, funny, heartbreaking stories prepare us to meet the mortal challenges of life with spiritual vigor and hope.

Nicole phoned very early one morning from her hospital bed. It was still dark, a February darkness that held no promise of spring, or even of light. "I've joined your club, Pen," she said. The club, of course, was breast cancer, a club that is becoming less and less exclusive. It will accept anyone as a member, and not one, not a single one, ever wanted to join. Breast Cancer: Biography of an Illnessis a book for women diagnosed with breast cancer who suddenly find themselves facing a multitude of personal decisions -- and for anyone who has been touched by the malevolent mystery of the disease. A breast cancer survivor herself, Penelope Williams has filled this gritty, honest book with information, research, stories, and hard-won personal insights so crucial to living with -- and living past -- breast cancer.

From the book jacket: Chemo Brain. Fatigue. Chronic Pain. Insomnia. Depression. These are just a few of the ongoing, debilitating symptoms that plague some breast cancer survivors long after their treatments have officially ended. After The Cure is a compelling read filled with fascinating portraits of women who are living with the aftermath of breast cancer. Having heard repeatedly that the problems are all in your head, many don't know where to turn for help. The doctors who now refuse to validate their symptoms are often the very ones they depended on to provide life-saving treatments. Sometimes family members, who provided essential support through months of chemotherapy and radiation, don't believe them. Their work lives, already disrupted by both cancer and its treatment, are further undermined by the lingering symptoms. And every symptom is a constant reminder of the trauma of diagnosis, the ordeal of treatment, and the specter of recurrence. Most narratives about surviving breast cancer end with the conclusion of chemotherapy and radiation, painting stereotypical portraits of triumphantly healthy survivors, women who not only survive but emerge better and stronger than before. After The Cure allows us to hear the voices of those who are silenced by the optimistic breast cancer culture, women who live with a broad array of health problems long after therapy ends. Here, at last, survivors step out of the shadows and speak compellingly about their real stories, giving voice to the complicated, often bittersweet realities of life after the cure.

A. Seeker's Storybook is a collection of stories presented by the fictional (yet oh so real) character, Albert Seeker. On his journey through a difficult transition, he finds mythical tales that help him gain insight into himself and his calling. He shares these imaginative stories with us, along with his reflections and drawings, prompting us to make connections of our own. This book is a must-read for anyone at any age who loves a well-woven tale. It is also a rich resource for teachers, facilitators, counsellors and storytellers. Its fantastical characters capture the imagination, stimulate the senses and inspire the adventure of finding meaning in life and work.

Canada’s best-known storyteller, Dan Yashinsky, lives his life as teller and listener, and shows how storytelling can and does create vital connections between individuals, communities and families. In an age of instant messaging, entertainment systems and digital interaction, why is it that more and more people are being drawn to the art of oral storytelling? As Dan Yashinsky, one of Canada’s most well-known and beloved storytellers shows, an old tradition has become the new avant-garde. Storytelling is still very much alive in this digital age: it connects us to each other, to our communities and to our past. In fact, people are as hungry as they've ever been for the wisdom and solace of told stories. But they are also looking for stories that will speak to our post-modern, fractured, apocalyptic age. Suddenly They Heard Footsteps is part memoir, part instruction, part cultural history, and includes tales that Dan has told to wide acclaim. By turns humorous, inspiring, instructive and philosophical, Dan shows us that, like love, stories mean the most the very moment we give them away.

The stories of 22 women, their families and friends, as they come to terms with breast cancer.

Paddles Up! provides an in-depth look at dragon boating from its beginnings in ancient China to the modern-day prominence of Canadian teams on the international scene, as told in the words of top coaches of men's and women's teams, experts and enthusiasts, and sports health professionals across Canada. Contributing writers include Mike Haslam, executive president International Dragon Boat Federation; Matthew Smith, president Dragon Boat Canada; Kamini Jain, Vancouver; Albert MacDonald, Halifax; Jamie Hollins, Pickering; Matt Robert, Montreal; and Jim Farintosh, Toronto. Through legends, history, and traditions, to paddling tips and mental readiness, and from choosing gear to exceptional achievements, a battery of Canadian dragon-boat notables share their considerable knowledge in one authoritative volume.

This much-needed collection of original articles invites the reader to examine the key issues in the lives of women with chronic illnesses. The authors explore how society reacts to women with chronic illness and how women living with chronic illness cope with the uncertainty of their bodies in a society that desires certainty. Additionally, issues surrounding women with chronic illness in the workplace and the impact of chronic illness on women's relationships are sensitively considered.

Medical Sociology is the among the largest and first subdisciplines in Sociology. This series presents issues and concerns in Medical Sociology.

In recent years, healthcare professionals have recognized the distinctly different healthcare needs and concerns of men and women. Women's health, in particular, has come into its own in the last two decades. In Canada, however, there has been little available in the way of a general text on women's health. This volume works toward filling that gap by providing a resource for teaching and understanding women's health in this country. To lay out the methodological and theoretical foundations for their study, editors Olena Hankivisky, Marina Morrow, and Colleen Varcoe bring together an interdisciplinary group of scholars and practitioners from economics, anthropology, sociology, nursing, political studies, women's studies, and psychology. Contributors draw on the rich history of the Canadian women's health movement, providing analysis of that history and of the emergent theory, policy, and practice. Aimed at undergraduate and graduate students as well as practitioners, the collection adopts an intersectional approach, looking closely at social factors such as gender, race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, and gender identity, and analysing how they relate both to each other and to women's health. Connections between the social, economic, and cultural contexts of women's lives and their physical, spiritual, and mental well-being are a primary focus. Providing a much needed resource for teachers, students, and practitioners of women's health in Canada, this comprehensive volume makes an important contribution to the literature.