The physical and emotional impact of caring for a loved one with mesothelioma is aptly portrayed in Lorraine Kember’s inspirational true story ‘Lean on Me’ Cancer through a Carer’s Eyes; a powerfully moving story of her husband Brian’s courageous battle with mesothelioma and of her ‘emotional journey’ as she cares for him and copes with the reality of his impending death.

This very personal account depicts the depth of their love for each other, the sense of helplessness Lorraine experienced upon her Brian’s diagnosis and her growing strength as she comes to realize that there is much she can do to improve the quality of his life.

Uniquely combining the methods and tools she used to control Brian’s pain and symptoms along with diary excerpts and poems depicting her emotional journey, this inspirational story is not just a book about cancer, it is a beautiful love story and a valuable guide to Carer’s wrapped into one.

Lean on Me includes:

• Terminal Diagnosis
• The question of Prognosis
• Anticipatory Grief
• Caring for a terminally ill loved one at home
• How to control chronic pain
• How to manage symptoms including:
  (a) Chemotherapy related nausea
  (b) Constipation due to strong medication
  (c) Swollen legs
• How to cope with anticipatory grief
• Palliative Carer (Hospice) what it can do for you
• Dying at home – A precious gift
• Coping with grief after loss

PLUS:       Excerpts and poems from Lorraine’s personal diary.

Recommendations

Dr Andrew Dean
MB. Ch.B MRCP (UK). FRACP
Consultant Physician in Palliative Care
Perth, Western Australia.

I believe that this book is truly unique.  It combines a thorough, warm, insightful and intelligent description of a very personal journey.  Lorraine’s refreshing discussions, thoughts and views really do provide a good insight to the trials and tribulations that accompany an illness such as this but also emphasize the good things that they experienced together and the benefits they got from their treatment.  It is this written that actually gives such hope to anybody who is potentially facing the same journey.

I believe that this is a truly amazing book that everybody with cancer should read.  Any families who have been touched by this disease will undoubtedly find in it inspiration and hope.

Roger Woodruff
Director of Palliative Care, Austin Health, Melbourne, Australia

This is one woman's very moving story of caring for her husband for two years while he battled mesothelioma.
The emotional insights she shares with her diary would be a great comfort to anyone caring for someone with advanced cancer or any other terminal illness. Her focus on his quality of life as she educates herself about the medical aspects of his care is quite remarkable, and would be inspirational to others in a similar situation and would empower them with realistic hope.

Stephen Carmody
Manager
Hospice Care Service

“Lean on Me” is indeed a compelling read and, I would further contend, an essential resource for all who work with patients who face life-limiting or terminal illness.  It is easy for health professionals, no matter their level of expertise, to assume what patients or their Carer’s may be experiencing.  Lorraine’s exploration of her feelings, as she cares for her dying husband Brian, is a revelation. I believe this book is an extraordinary insight into the challenge that confronts ordinary people facing life-limiting disease, and would commend it as an excellent grounding resource for health professionals who work alongside those facing terminal illness.

Dr Liz forbat
Cancer Care Research Centre UK: 

This is an elegant and sensitive account of the emotional journey of being a carer. I know many people who will learn a great deal about the joys and strains of caring through reading this book. I know many more who will find great comfort in hearing in such depth someone else’s experiences of supporting a family member through lung cancer.

Readers Letter’s

Dear Lorraine,

I have recently had the pleasure of reading your book lean on me and was so blown away. The strength and dedication that you have shown through out your life is so amazing and for you to share the most personal parts with the world in hopes of helping other is amazing.  I know that this book that you have written will help and touch everyone s heart that read it and make it just that little easier for everyone to understand what to expect or how to over come what they will need to do because of you…
Sandilea daws

It is so hard watching your partner in life slowly deteriorating before your eyes.  I still read your book as I feel it’s the only link I have wit someone else who understands what I am going through.  To people like me it is a shining beacon in a vast ocean.  You are still my place in the dark I can go to, knowing you will understand every feeling or though I might have…

Thank you Lorraine
Cheryl Wallace

Excerpt

Lorraine’s husband Brian was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in 1999 and given a prognosis of three to nine months. At the time of his diagnosis they were living in the remote town of Exmouth in the North of Western Australia. 

With no hospice or palliative care organizations to support her, Lorraine took on the role as Brian’s primary carer.  Determined to ease his suffering, she sought knowledge on the internet and put into place a pain and symptom management routine that was to dramatically improve the quality of her husband’s life. Testament to this, despite his prognosis; Brian survived for two years, during which he remained active and alert and a vital member of the family.  He was not bed bound until three short days prior to his death.

Knowing that she was ‘making a difference’ to the quality of her husband’s life removed Lorraine’s feelings of helplessness but living in expectation of her loved ones death was an devastating experience. As a way of coping with her grief, Lorraine began keeping a personal diary, pouring her emotions onto the pages often in the form of poetry.

Excerpts and poems from Lorraine’s diary are included in her book “Lean on Me’ these deeply personal and emotive pieces offer a rare insight into ‘anticipatory grief’ and the roller coaster of emotions we experience upon the terminal diagnosis of a loved one.

Highly recommended by cancer councils and palliative care organizations world wide ‘Lean on Me’  is a must read for anyone who is caring for a loved one with mesothelioma or cancer of any kind.

About the Author

 Lorraine Kember:  Author and Inspirational Speaker

Since writing her book “Lean on Me” Cancer through a Carer’s Eyes - a true story of how she cared for her dying husband, Lorraineis frequently invited to speak to groups of Palliative Care; Silver Chain and Nursing Staff members and volunteers, as well as the general public, about the importance of Pain Management and symptom control to quality of life and caring for terminally ill loved ones at home.

Lorraine also speaks to other Carers and Grief Support Groups. Sharing her emotional journey with her audience, she talks about: Anticipatory Grief associated with terminal diagnosis, Coping with grief after loss and finding the strength to move on with your life.
Lorraine is available to speak Nation wide and over seas.

For more information – Visit www.lean-on-me.net