2x Teenage Colon Cancer Survivor Writes Memoir to Inspire Girls and their Parents

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Aug. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Most people wouldn't attempt to write a memoir before age 40, but Danielle Ripley-Burgess is not like most people. And while her diagnosis of colon cancer at ages 17 and 25 often headline the survivor's story, in her forthcoming book, Blush: How I Barely Survived 17 (Redemption Press; Softcover; $16.99; 978-1646451265), Ripley-Burgess, now age 36, is offering a deeper look into her story. Covering topics ranging from body shame, divorce, infertility and facing a crisis of faith—in addition to detailing her experiences through chemotherapy, radiation and surgery before graduating high school—Blush takes readers through a two-decade journey to tell a story of hope. 

"I started to write this book to help people understand that girls like me can get colon cancer and to inspire other teens struggling with embarrassment to not hide their bodies," said Ripley-Burgess. "As I faced a second cancer, became a mom, and embraced survivorship, I realized my cancer story is part of a bigger story. My sickness was not isolated from other life challenges. I hope Blush is a conversation starter for families, especially those with tween and teen girls."

Ripley-Burgess says she lived a "normal" life until specks of blood began appearing following bowel movements in eighth grade, something she kept secret for many years. Once she revealed her symptoms, she was rushed into a colonoscopy that found stage III colorectal cancer at age 17. Medical teams aggressively treated her cancer and she went into remission but eight years later at age 25, stage I colon cancer was detected. In the decade that followed her second diagnosis, she learned she has Lynch syndrome, a genetic disease behind her cases. Yet despite her setbacks, she became a national spokesperson for colorectal cancer, started a family through adoption, and experienced the healing of her shattered faith.

Dedicated to her daughter who will turn ten this fall, Ripley-Burgess says raising a young girl was the ultimate motivation for putting her life experience to words.

Blush: How I Barely Survived 17 will be released September 15, 2020. Learn more about the author and get links to pre-order at DanielleRipleyBurgess.com/Blush. Join the social media conversation at the hashtag #BlushtheBook. 

SOURCE Danielle Ripley-Burgess

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