Book review: Changing Fate by Michelle Merrill

All Kate wants is to live. Battling cystic fibrosis is hard enough, dying from it is even harder. When her mom moves them closer to the hospital in the middle of her senior year, Kate’s determined to isolate herself—saving everyone the trouble of befriending a dying girl. It’s a difficult task when cheerful optimist

Giana insists on being Kate’s friend. 

Kate’s resolve falters even more when curly-haired Kyler captivates her with his sweet melodies. As her emotional walls collapse, Kate realizes the people she’s been pushing away may be the ones giving her a reason to live. But it might be too late. 

My review: My fourteen-year-old daughter and I both enjoyed this book. Neither of us really knew anything about Cystic Fibrosis, and it was an eye-opening read detailing the struggles of those affected. Learning about the grueling treatments and precautions sufferers must take makes you feel not only for the main character Kate, but for everyone going through this in real life. I also sincerely hope it will make people rethink their decisions to run around with cold and flu symptoms, with no regard for others who can be quite adversely affected. Overall, a very educational read and a welcome break from the usual high school drama. One more positive thing: half of all proceeds will be donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

About the author: Michelle Merrill loves kissing her hubby, snuggling her kids, eating candy, reading books, and writing first drafts. She names her computers after favorite fictional characters and fictional characters after favorite names. To learn more about her, visit www.authormichellemerrill.com.

Disclosure: I received free the item(s) mentioned in this post in exchange for my honest review. Regardless ~ All my reviews are my honest and personal opinion. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”.

Sticky Icky Booger Bugs ~ a day in the life of a little boy with Cystic Fibrosis ~ Review & Giveaway on Mom Loves 2 Read

There are 30,000 children each year diagnosed and battling cystic
fibrosis. There is no cure for this progressive disease. Sticky Icky
Booger Bugs is the tale of a boy's battle with cystic fibrosis as he
attempts to avoid the hospital. 



Kory is just like any other child. He
loves recess, playing soccer and exploring his neighborhood with his
best friend. With every puff, cough, and sneeze, Kory keeps the sticky
icky booger bugs away so he can have fun every day!





My Review:

This is a wonderful book to explain to children and parents what it is like to live every day with Cystic Fibrosis.  I love how Kory explains his daily schedule and that other than the sticky icky booger bugs, he is like nearly every other kid his age who enjoys soccer and playing with his friends.  He can run and play, he just has to take special care of his body so he can breathe better.



The simple illustrations are perfect for each page, helping show the course of Kory's treatment throughout his day.  This would be a perfect book for doctors to give to children and families who are newly learning about CF, or even for friends and relatives who need to know that a child with CF is just like any other child, only with special medicines to help get rid of those nasty, sticky icky booger bugs.  I'd love to see a copy of this book in my children's school library.  It would be a great addition to school and local libraries everywhere.



I found this great information about Cystic Fibrosis on www.cff.org:



What Is Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease
that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and
adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide). A defective gene and
its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky
mucus that:

• clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections; and


• obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.

In the 1950s, few children with cystic fibrosis
lived to attend elementary school. Today, advances in research and
medical treatments have further enhanced and extended life for children
and adults with CF. Many people with the disease can now expect to live
into their 30s, 40s and beyond.



Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis

People with CF can have a variety of symptoms, including:

• very salty-tasting skin;


• persistent coughing, at times with phlegm;


• frequent lung infections;


• wheezing or shortness of breath;


• poor growth/weight gain in spite of a good appetite; and


• frequent greasy, bulky stools or difficulty in bowel movements.

Statistics

• About 1,000 new cases of cystic fibrosis are diagnosed each year.


• More than 70% of patients are diagnosed by age two.


• More than 45% of the CF patient population is age 18 or older.


• The predicted median age of survival for a person with CF is in the late 30s.

About the Author

Author Sherry Frith is the mother of three boys and the founder
of K.C.H.H., Inc, a nonprofit organization. She has patents and
copyrights pending in various areas and lives each day full of new ideas
and grace. Sherry lives in Bakersfield, California, with her sons-Kyle,
Kevin, and Kory. 



Illustrator Carol Newell Walter majored in fine arts
at Wayne State University and earned a B.A. and teaching credentials
from California State University-Bakersfield. Now retired, Carol and her
husband live in Bakersfield, California, where she continues to create
all kinds of artwork. 





Sticky Icky Booger Bugs was published by Archway on July 26, 2013 and is
available on  http://www.amazon.com/


To learn more, visit http://beatsnot.com/.

Disclosure: I received free the item(s) mentioned in this post in exchange for my honest review. Regardless ~ All my reviews are my honest and personal opinion. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”.