Books for Cancer and Sex

Love in the Time of Cancer is all about cancer and love and sex. I started writing this out of frustration in finding medical folks willing to talk openly and specifically about sex in the time of cancer. Since I couldn’t find those others I decided that I’d have to become what I was wishing for—not a bad way to approach many things in life I’ve discovered. So I started writing this blog, which became a book and then a presentation and now a cause.

So I love to share resources for other couples that are facing cancer and who want keep a great sex life. So many forces—medical, religious, cultural and social still think cancer and sex are separable but I—for many reasons believe they are inseparable. I had my first experience with cancer in my twenties when I was just discovering my sexual potential and I was not going to give that up. I got knocked for a loop but—like Rocky—came back stronger. And more passionate—in every sense. And grateful to the women and men that I learn from.

So here are two books and one writer that I highly recommend. The tagline on both books is identical and it says: “Reclaim your sex life after a cancer diagnosis…”

The books are: “Woman Cancer Sex” and “Man Cancer Sex” by Anne Katz, RN, PhD. Katz is an oncology nurse and a sexuality counselor at CancerCare Manitoba and she writes a regular column for The American Journal of Nursing called, “Sexually Speaking”.

Just to give you a sense of how complete and open her writing is, some of the chapter headings in “Woman Cancer Sex” and “Man Cancer Sex” include these topics: Loss of Sexual Desire; Problems with Orgasm; Painful Sex; Lesbians with Cancer; Partners of Patients with Cancer; Sex and Terminal Illness.

Not a lot of euphemisms in these books and no pretending that cuddling is enough.

Both books are paperbacks and can be ordered by your local bookstore.