Bald, Fat & Crazy

The odds for a positive outcome from pregnancy while battling cancer might seem improbably long, but Hosford’s hopeful debut memoir proves that, with a little bit of luck and lots of grit, it is entirely possible.

At just 37, fit, and a nonsmoker, Hosford seemed like one of the unlikeliest candidates for a devastating disease. Nevertheless, there it was—a suspicious lump in her breast that proved to be one of the most virulent types of breast cancers: triple negative. Barely settled into the surreal aftermath of the dreaded diagnosis, she was dealt another piece of news: she was pregnant, even after being told she was suffering from secondary infertility after the birth of her son, Ethan. In fact, it was precisely why the Hosfords had decided to adopt a baby girl from China, due to arrive in a few months. Handling even one of these life-altering events would be difficult enough for anybody, but Hosford went through it all with grace and a lot of help from her mom, sister Jenn, and especially her patient and steely husband, Grant. Hosford precisely captures the roller coaster of emotions she experiences, all “mixed, blended or pureed.” Understandably, she was envious of others’ seemingly normal lives and desperate to voice her fears and have her concerns validated. The family’s relief that the cancer was “only” stage 1 was an indication of just how much their standards had been recalibrated. Fortunately, as the memoir’s subtitle suggests, the harrowing account has a happy ending. At one point, Hosford recalls: “I need something to aspire to, stories that give me hope and maybe even a smile while I trudge through my ‘journey.’ ” And that’s exactly what this moving memoir delivers. “Being brave doesn’t mean you’re not scared. Being brave is being scared out of your mind, and doing what you need to do anyway,” Grant once reminded her. By that measure, Hosford might have been bald, fat, and crazy—but also incredibly courageous.

A ray of sunshine for those with similar struggles.