A Cancer Vixen Kicks the Disease
A Personal Account of Breast Cancer by Marissa Acocella Marchetto
Cancer Vixen is a graphic memoir by Marissa Acocella Marchetto that looks like a comic book. It describes the realities of breast cancer, chemotherapy drugs and radiation
Breast cancer can actually be enjoyable to read about when it's colorful, interactive, and funny. Marissa Acocella Marchetto's Cancer Vixen describes "what happens when a shoe-crazy, lipstick-obsessed, wine-swilling, pasta-slurping, fashion-fanatic, single-forever, about-to-get-married big-city girl cartoonist with a fabulous life finds…a lump in her breast."
Cancer Vixen describes breast cancer, love, relationships, health, and pain in detail – with sprinkles of humor and wit throughout. Though the subject of breast cancer and chemotherapy drugs was hard to read about, the format made Cancer Vixen easy and even enjoyable.
Women with breast cancer may connect wtih Cancer Vixen in many ways.
Format of Cancer Vixen by Marissa Acocella Marchetto
Cancer Vixen is laid out like a comic book, with vivid colors, balloons floating about the characters' heads, and words that depict action (eg, WHOOSH! in big blue block letters and teeny weeny sad lonely little words like "owww.." when Marchetto undergos chemotherapy drugs and treatment).
Cancer Vixen doesn't just offer balloons coming out of people's mouths and amazing cartoons that clearly depict painful emotions and feelings. Cancer Vixen also offers a board game, a couple of real photos of Marchetto and her husband on their wedding day, a photocopy of her breast cancer lab report, and a copy of a restaurant receipt. Cancer Vixen is a quirky and fun personal account of breast cancer.
Learning about breast cancer and chemotherapy in Cancer Vixen
Cancer Vixen includes chemotherapy needles, lab reports, blood tests, mammogram machines, blood in tubes, IV machines, hospital beds, and doctor's appointments are all included – even "chemo farts." (Who knew? Marchetto didn't, either). Marchetto didn't have health insurance until she married her fiancé, which was a huge source of stress and regret (this is yet another valuable lesson from Cancer Vixen).
Mean green breast cancer cells and valiant white blood cells wearing army helmets are both affected by the chemotherapy treatment. The breast cancer tumors are described in Cancer Vixen, and so is Dr Death or the Grim Reaper or Cancer Himself. Cancer is an ugly black-cloaked creature who is mean, persistent, and scary. But Marchetto triumphs over him and lives to cartoon Cancer Vixen!
Cancer Vixen offers a description of 911 and Marchetto's cartoon rendition of those tragic events (which seemed a little out of place). It's a touching description of the twin towers and the planes collapsing – it was published in Talk Magazine in November 2001. It's one of the things Marchetto is "most proud of" which may be why she included it in Cancer Vixen.
Cancer Vixen includes many emotions about breast cancer: tears, fears, nightmares, hopelessness, grief, love, peace, joy, and intimacy.
Cancer Vixen Goes Beyond Breast Cancer
Marchetto goes beyond breast cancer to reveal insights into life, such as how pointless it is to be catty with other women, how confusing it is that we don't always know what causes breast cancer, and how important it is to be positive. Marchetto looked back fondly on the days that she worried about her hair, weight, and appearance – instead of breast cancer tumors, death, and chemotherapy treatments.
The ending of Cancer Vixen wasn't capitvating. Marchetto drives off breast cancer-free in the rain with her husband in his red Maserati. It wasn't very deep or meaningful – especially in comparison to the rest of Cancer Vixen, which was so fabulous. The pouring rain at the end of the book was heavy and scary; Marchetto and her husband forged ahead slowly through the driving rain on dangerous roads.
That's the theme of life and Cancer Vixen -- and it is powerful: we move forward bit by bit, doing the best we can, staying positive and faithful -- breast cancer-free or not.
If you found Cancer Vixen Kicks the Disease: A Personal Account of Breast Cancer by Marissa Acocella Marchetto interesting, try:
- Personality Does Not Cause Cancer
- Inspirational Quotations for Women
- 5 Ways to Help a Grieving Friend
- How Yoga Helps Your Health
