Isabella Milan is from the San Francisco Bay Area. She was educated in Southern California and completed three degrees, including an MS in Sports Psychology, a MA, and a Doctoral Candidate degree in Clinical Psychology. Due to her life-threatening cancer, she underwent two mastectomies, two reconstruction surgeries, and chemotherapy during 2004 to 2005. In 2007, she was diagnosed with stage 4 Breast cancer with a survival rate of 22%. In late 2008, she was diagnosed with Hydrocephalus. After 3 infectious attempts, a shunt was successfully surgically inserted into her brain to drain the water to her bladder. She has looked breast cancer and other illnesses in the face, and survived their wrath. Her motto: Keep Fighting! Never Give Up! God Has You!! She is a 16-year, stage 4, breast cancer survivor, author, breast cancer advocate and speaker, and volunteer for breast cancer organizations. She currently resides in Texas, and is enjoying seeing her son experience college life. A site she thought she would never survive to see
The book: Praying for a Miracle when it’s Hopeless is her first memoir.
Available: https://www.isabella-milan.com
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/praying-for-a-miracle-when-its-hopeless-isabella-milan/1134949495
http://Instagram.com/isabellamilan.author
You can also find her on: HPB.com & Facebook
What sets your book apart from all others?
Praying for Hope when it’s Hopeless is an inspiring and gripping memoir about my physical, mental, and emotional struggle with Stage 4 Breast Cancer, with a brain metastasis. While simultaneously going through a gut-wrenching divorce and a custody battle for my son. I was sent away extremely ill, unable to walk or talk, in a wheelchair and a diaper, back to my family in CA; Leaving me penniless and hopeless. Only 22% of victims survive my diagnosis. I had to fight to get my health and custody of my son back. I may have lost a few battles along the way. But, thanks to God, I won the war!! I am a 16-year survivor and enjoying seeing my son experiencing college life, a site I never thought I would see. Praise the power of God!!
One in 8 American women are affected by breast cancer. If cancer stays in the breast it is a 99% 5-year survival rate. If cancer spreads to a distant place, the survival rate is 26% 5-year survival rate. When I first got diagnosed with stage 4, the 5-year survival rate was a mere 22%. Which shows our 16-year research making a positive difference. We must continue to fund research for a cure and provide emotional support for victims. This book is so important to empower those with or friends and families of victims.
Who should be reading your book?
This book was written to target and give HOPE to victims, survivors, families, and friends. They must know that this diagnosis is not a death sentence! Instead, how you frame your life expectancy, disease, and behavior really matters whatever your lifespan.
What authors inspired you most and how so? What do you admire about each one?
Maya Angelou. I am inspired by her history. No matter her circumstances, she continued to move forward. It is difficult to label her legacy. She was aspiring in so many areas: writer, poet, filmmaker, actor, dancer, civil rights activist and more. Plus, she has won many awards for excellence in these genres.
What advice do you have to offer in support of other authors?
I would say to new authors to continue to write. Others are encouraged by your writing. That encouragement is exactly what is needed in this time of uncertainty.
What is your genre of choice and why? How did you come to write in that particular genre or niche?
I wrote this memoir because I was encouraged by my friends and family. When I shared my story with others, everyone responded with amazement, “You MUST write a book.” They said that I went through a distressing journey. I did not know how or why I survived. I just knew I was still here because I had a purpose. Then one day it finally came to me. God wanted me to share my uplifting and inspirational story with those touched by breast cancer. I now know that a breast cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence. Not everyone will survive. My message is to insert Hope. I want readers to regain their sense of purpose and find the audacity to hope, dream, and live again.
What are your future writing endeavors? What’s next on your authorship agenda?
I have been really focused on marketing and promoting this book. I was thinking about another memoir dealing with my divorce case. Significant because it took FIVE long years to divorce and there was always chicanery on my EX’s behalf. He did things like violate HIPPA laws which he could easily access my data since he worked at the same hospital that I was a patient of. He would lie to our mediator and my son’s appointed “lawyer”. They would trust him due to his staff position. It was just a miserable time.
Is writing for you synonymous with living and breathing, or just something you do as a hobby, and how so and why?
I write about my experiences. Hopefully, my readers will benefit from it. I went from not believing I was part of the group because I had DCIS (pre-cancer). The next year it moved to real cancer in my other breast. I had initially refused Chemo but welcomed it my 2nd time around. Then to a stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis with a brain metastasis in my cerebellum two years later. I realized that I was absolutely part of the breast cancer group! I also became very protective of the breast cancer group. Wanting them to have all the information I could give. Which is why I put breast cancer statistics on my website. I also volunteer with American Cancer Society to talk with recently diagnosed victims. I get such joy and fulfillment with those I speak to.
What changes in the literary world would you most like to see?
I would like to see more situations that impact women’s real lives, health, status, children, marriage and how they deal with everyday life changes.
How is your writing controversial, profound or mind boggling, or how would you describe it?
People are surprised when they find out I survived for all these years. Yes, I do believe that survival was ordained by God. However, those that do not survive simply means that God needed you. My younger sister passed. It was painful! But I knew she was in a better place, being watched over by lost loved ones, in no physical or emotional pain. I was not always this optimistic! Cancer changes you. It makes you appreciate the good times and very thankful for the times that were more challenging, but you held onto the end of that rope and found HOPE.
What change or enlightenment do you want to bring about in your reader if any?
This might sound cliché, but I want my readers to have hope, so they can live their best lives possible. To not focus on the negative aspects of cancer, but to have a more optimistic outlook. Your beliefs can keep you sad and depressed. Employing simple techniques like I have in my book helps you have a more positive outlook. For example, Negative Thought-Stopping is a technique that you employ when you find you are going down a negative road of thoughts. You retrain yourself to notice this thinking, response, then utilize replacement thought.
What’s the greatest compliment that you ever received regarding your literary accomplishments and what did this remark do for you, how did it transform your life or your writing?
What people write in my book reviews:
“Isabella is an incredibly strong woman.”
“She is very honest and up-front about her experience.”
“Isabella is raw and honest.”
“Her plight is an inspiration to us all.”
I have many more reviews and I am overcome with gratitude with readers who flip through the pages of my life and share with me their thoughts.
What’s the most memorable criticism you received regarding your literary works and how did this remark transform you as a writer or influence your writing if at all?
I received a medial review from Kirkus Reviews. It seemed like the reader did not put any effort into the review at all. Maybe that was not the genre of writing he enjoyed. I was taken-aback by the very casual tone this reviewer gave when dealing with such a serious issue. His comments were offensive to the group of women that dealt with this disease. I had to speak out and advocate for my sisters.
What have you gained from writing, how has it rewarded you personally?
I gained an understanding that I am not alone. That others are fighting too. Some need uplifting. Some need an understanding of where they are on their journey. One thing I was assured of, is that all of us need caring love!
