Probably more people watched the movie than read this book. According to Elizabeth, the movie has a better ending than the book. I have a bad habit, when I run short of time in reading I would turn to the last page and find out the ending. Elizabeth(my daughter), warned me against doing that with this book.
For those of my readers who have not read the book, I will not reveal anymore of the ending. It suffices to say that reading this book gave me a different perspective in seeking treatment for diseases such as leukemia. I actually have a sister-in-law who went through the nine steps in caring for a child who could die any moment until she had a successful bone marrow transplant. Years ago, when she was at wit's end with her daughter's treatment, she asked me what would I do if Elizabeth, my youngest, needed a bone marrow transplant. I replied without any hesitation that I would mortgage my house, borrow or beg for charity to treat until there is no more possible treatment. If it comes to that, I told her, then I would let her die in a dignified manner at home. Now that I really sat down to go through an entire medical history of Katie(the patient in the book), I am not sure I would tell any mother what I told my sister-in-law years ago.
I am glad that my sister-in-law did borrow enough money and found a matching donor for the bone marrow transplant. It was a success and her daughter lives normally now.
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