Cancer Vixen is a graphic novel written and illustrated by Marisa Marchetto. I was given this book as a gift in 2006 during one of my long stretches of chemotherapy in the hospital. Marchetto, a cartoonist for The New Yorker and Glamour, documents her entire experience coping with her cancer in 211 pages. The book is very personal and detailed, delving into all aspects of her experience: her diagnosis, treatment, emotions, fears, relationships with friends, parents, lover. The illustrations are is vivid and dynamic, and her approach to the book (and dealing with her illness) is to fight fire with humor. For myself, I know that having a sense of humor in the face of such a grave situation was one of the things that really kept me going during my own battle with cancer. Above is a page from her comic in which she shares one of the well-kept secrets of cancer patients: The Cancer Card. Though she did not coin this term herself, Marchetto does a great job of depicting how useful it can be. It's a quintessential example of what many people refer to as "Cancertainment".
Below is another page from her book, in which she describes her initial reaction to being told she has cancer. She compares the feeling to being sucked into a black hole. When I first read it, this page really touched me on a very deep level, because I could relate to that feeling. I flashed back to October 31, 2005. I was 19 years old, studying at Ithaca College, when the doctor told me that I had cancer, and then handed me the phone to call my parents, who at the time were 4 hours away. My mind went black. I can only describe the feeling as an overwhelming and paralyzing fear, and though you can put comprehend is the absolute (though unreasonable) certainty that you are going to die. I was of course wrong, but despite being blessed with health now I will never forget that moment, and I love that Marchetto was able to use her talents to deal with, and share her experience. I am very motivated to do the same with mine.
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