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Determined to Matter: A Family Facing Inoperable Brain Cancer
Shannon O'Hara, skating down the ice chasing after the puck, comes face to face with a larger-than-life opposing team player. Never one to back down from anything, barely five feet fall, Shannon tangles with the player and ends up with a penalty. As she sits in the penalty box—only thinking about getting out in two minutes—no one would ever imagine that this beautiful, vibrant, and competitive young spirit will be gone in 54 days. The devastating news that 12-year-old Shannon is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor is unfathomable, surreal, and unimaginable. This is the raw and emotional story of the O'Hara's as they prepare for the fight of their lives, and their ultimate loss.
Written and inspired by a blog that Dan and Jen O'Hara wrote to keep in touch with their family, friends, and supporters near and far, the story follows the yearlong battle from diagnosis to death and exemplifies how to live the "new normal" every day, no matter what it entails. Shannon's struggle reveals why family, faith, and hope are so important in our daily lives and how the support of a community plays such a vital role through the good times and especially the bad.
Written and inspired by a blog that Dan and Jen O'Hara wrote to keep in touch with their family, friends, and supporters near and far, the story follows the yearlong battle from diagnosis to death and exemplifies how to live the "new normal" every day, no matter what it entails. Shannon's struggle reveals why family, faith, and hope are so important in our daily lives and how the support of a community plays such a vital role through the good times and especially the bad.
- GenresNonfictionMemoir
336 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 1, 2023
Moving tribute to a courageous young girl who battled a brain tumor. Her very loving family opened their lives and feelings as they journeyed through diagnosis to the passing of young Shannon O'Hara. Jen and Dan were extremely honest with their emotions. They have a very easy way of writing and expressing themselves so you go away with the feeling that you are one of their friends. Be ready for tears but also for laughter and inspiration as you read how they and the city of Rochester came together not only for Shannon but the family.
December 30, 2018
This book is real and raw. I thank Jen, Dan, Shannon, and Erin O'Hara for sharing their beautiful and heartbreaking story. I do not actually know them, but after reading the book, I feel like in some very minute way, I do.
Their story made me laugh, cry, and remember to hug my loved ones every chance I can get. It is a story of bravery, anger, love, loss, and inspiration. I am humbled.
Their story made me laugh, cry, and remember to hug my loved ones every chance I can get. It is a story of bravery, anger, love, loss, and inspiration. I am humbled.
June 3, 2013
Bottom line:
At times emotionally difficult to read, this chronicles the journey of two parents they help their child battle a malignant, inoperable brain tumor.
Review:
Determined to Matter chronicles the journey of a family as they cope with a thirteen-year-old daughter who receives a crippling diagnosis of an inoperable brain cancer.
Primarily written by the two parents, this memoir strives to show how their older daughter, Shannon, impacted the world around her. Since I am also a parent with two young boys, as I read this book, I found myself constantly asking how I'd react, what I'd do differently, and how I might feel. I don't have any real answers to these questions, but this reaffirmed my desire to make every moment with my sons matter.
Besides telling Shannon's story, I think this was one of the main messages of the book: make your time here on earth mean something. Do something worth sharing, and treat others with kindness and respect. Invest your energy in your children. You never know how much time you have.
While maintaining much of the original blog format, this memoir also includes several additional pieces written to help give the book a more clear overall flow. Readers may appreciate the immediacy that the blog entry format can impart, as if the events are unfolding as they happen. I generally prefer memoirs to be more distilled to eliminate some of the repetition, but the choice seemed to work for this journey.
One thing I would have liked to see was a section in Shannon's own words. Her actions were admirable: deciding to go through with treatment, helping doctors gather data to help treat future patients, and living life as much as possible while faced with impossible odds. Even though Shannon's words are missing, the articles do show how the parents processed the events--from hopeful optimism, through the stages of grief, to eventual acceptance, healing, and adapting to a new normal.
This book may help others going through a similar event in their lives, at least in understanding one possible outcome. I hope that Shannon's contribution to the science will help others avoid her fate, and also admire the author and her family for sharing such a personal journey with the world. I wish them the best as they continue to heal.
Full disclosure:
There are several reasons for me to be biased in favor of this book: I live in the Rochester area and the daughter's name, Shannon the Cannon, matches a major character in my first book (sheer coincidence). My opinions of this book are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer.
I received a free copy in return for an honest review. With these potential biases in mind, I have tried to remain impartial.
At times emotionally difficult to read, this chronicles the journey of two parents they help their child battle a malignant, inoperable brain tumor.
Review:
Determined to Matter chronicles the journey of a family as they cope with a thirteen-year-old daughter who receives a crippling diagnosis of an inoperable brain cancer.
Primarily written by the two parents, this memoir strives to show how their older daughter, Shannon, impacted the world around her. Since I am also a parent with two young boys, as I read this book, I found myself constantly asking how I'd react, what I'd do differently, and how I might feel. I don't have any real answers to these questions, but this reaffirmed my desire to make every moment with my sons matter.
Besides telling Shannon's story, I think this was one of the main messages of the book: make your time here on earth mean something. Do something worth sharing, and treat others with kindness and respect. Invest your energy in your children. You never know how much time you have.
While maintaining much of the original blog format, this memoir also includes several additional pieces written to help give the book a more clear overall flow. Readers may appreciate the immediacy that the blog entry format can impart, as if the events are unfolding as they happen. I generally prefer memoirs to be more distilled to eliminate some of the repetition, but the choice seemed to work for this journey.
One thing I would have liked to see was a section in Shannon's own words. Her actions were admirable: deciding to go through with treatment, helping doctors gather data to help treat future patients, and living life as much as possible while faced with impossible odds. Even though Shannon's words are missing, the articles do show how the parents processed the events--from hopeful optimism, through the stages of grief, to eventual acceptance, healing, and adapting to a new normal.
This book may help others going through a similar event in their lives, at least in understanding one possible outcome. I hope that Shannon's contribution to the science will help others avoid her fate, and also admire the author and her family for sharing such a personal journey with the world. I wish them the best as they continue to heal.
Full disclosure:
There are several reasons for me to be biased in favor of this book: I live in the Rochester area and the daughter's name, Shannon the Cannon, matches a major character in my first book (sheer coincidence). My opinions of this book are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer.
I received a free copy in return for an honest review. With these potential biases in mind, I have tried to remain impartial.
August 1, 2016
Incredibly honest and heartfelt, this memoir can serve as a roadmap for any family facing a crisis such as a terminal illness. Shannon was captured with all her nuances, as well as showing her anger, frustration, love, and caring for her family and friends more than she sometimes worried about her own health and imminent death.
Even though the reader knows the outcome in advance, the book reads like a page-turning mystery or thriller. I was engrossed by the ups and downs of Jen and Dan as they dealt with not only the impending death of their child, but the everyday needs of life, and especially how to communicate and support their other daughter, who went through a crisis of her own, losing her big sister while at the same time dealing with being "less important" on so many occasions when Shannon was the complete center of attention during treatments, home care, decision-making, etc.
Such a powerful book. Simply but elegantly written. Highest recommendation.
Even though the reader knows the outcome in advance, the book reads like a page-turning mystery or thriller. I was engrossed by the ups and downs of Jen and Dan as they dealt with not only the impending death of their child, but the everyday needs of life, and especially how to communicate and support their other daughter, who went through a crisis of her own, losing her big sister while at the same time dealing with being "less important" on so many occasions when Shannon was the complete center of attention during treatments, home care, decision-making, etc.
Such a powerful book. Simply but elegantly written. Highest recommendation.
June 16, 2015
If only we all lived our lives as Shannon did....
September 30, 2016
I'm on page 155.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews