Memories of a Cancer Survivor, luminous novel by Jean-Philippe Blondel

In his autobiographical story, Jean-Philippe Blondel uses vivid language to describe his battle with cancer and grief. A moving book full of life and joy.

When fate seems to persist, humor remains so as not to despair. Joy is struggle, an eternal struggle. In Walk through the fire (editions L’Iconoclaste), Jean-Philippe Blondel has decided to share with his readers a personal, painful experience and a daily struggle against a disease considered incurable.

Jean-Philippe Blondel died before this 31st Mars 2021 if the radiologist tells him : “Well, no luck, uh, it’s lymphoma.” How to live with cancer? How can you tell your family and loved ones? How to face death again? With a simple, clear writing style, full of humor and mockery, but also with a kind of radiant tenderness, Jean-Philippe Blondel exposes himself. He didn’t want to hide anything, a difficult task.

“Joy”

“Twice I looked death in the face. I can’t believe I’m still here. What I learned can be summed up in one word: joy. notes the author of Transition of summer (Southern Laws Junior). So at 56 years old, English teacher, father of two children Girls, two walked through the fire just. At 21 When he was years old, he was without a family. He lost his parents and brother in two car accidents. “There are people who have strange karma, and apparently I must have been one of them.” And survivor’s guilt is never far away. Like this evening on the 13th July In 1982, when he decided to take the train rather than the car, he escaped so to the accident that killed his mother and brother on a state road. Two years later, his father suffers another traffic accident, leaving him permanently orphaned..

“I accepted the situation like a tree, straight away.” Jean-Philippe Blondel has a flair for formulas. His short sentences click every time. His sincerity is reflected on every page. He talks about his everyday life, which is shaped by cancer. Suddenly he finds himself in the wrong camp, namely those who are seriously ill. “Suddenly I find myself on the other side – the ones we look at with compassion in the evening newspapers (…). We sigh, we murmur ‘poor people’ and are full of pity for at least minus thirty seconds. We tend to change the channel after that.”

Walk through the fire is a moving testimony of a person who chose to keep his head above the sea of ​​doubt, fear and pain. Walk through the fire is an intimate book that touches on the universal. In the end there is joy.

(“Crossing the Fire”), Jean-Philippe Blondel, Editions L’Iconoclaste, 20.90 euros)