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I Wish My Kids Had Cancer: A Family Surviving the Autism Epidemic Paperback – October 20, 2008

by Michael Alan (Author)

271 customer reviews

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I Wish My Kids Had Cancer is a father’s gripping, real glimpse of his family’s struggle to survive with two children with Autism. The book intimately, honestly, and powerfully, addresses the emotional, social, financial, political and medical aspects of a family fighting for their very existence. Learn about the struggle, the epidemic and Help Families In Need! Support Autism Through Song! Download the song “State of Emergency” by world-renowned recording artist Sara Hickman. ALL Proceeds Donated to help Families with Autism! Visit www.iwishmykidshadcancer.com to download or visit www.sarahickman.com to download this powerful, emotionally charged song written in response to this book. Encourage others to listen and download! Help provide hope for those with Autism!

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Product Details

Paperback: 116 pages
Publisher: PublishAmerica; 1st edition (December 20, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1606720708
ISBN-13: 978-1606720707
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.3 x 8.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 1.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (271 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,112,103 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4529 in Books > Parenting & Relationships > Special Needs

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Customer Reviews

271

1.3 out of 5 stars

5 star		6%
4 star		1%
3 star		1%
2 star		0%
1 star		92%

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

198 of 218 people found the following review helpful

Abusive and Self-Serving

By Bev on March 8, 2009

Format: Paperback

This is absolutely appalling. Does Mr. Alan seriously believe that his children will never hear of this book? Oh, yes, of course he will explain, "Oh I just meant for the insurance!" or "People often recover from cancer," or some such. Not good enough, not nearly. The damage done to autistic peoply by this sort of thing is immeasureable. And what about the offense to those families who are dealing with cancer? This never should have been published, and Amazon.com has made a poor decision in offering it. Negative 5 stars.

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137 of 154 people found the following review helpful

horrified

By Amazon Customer on March 7, 2009

Format: Paperback

I wonder if the author's kids share his wish. I wonder if they would appreciate being portrayed as such living disasters, such walking hardships to their martyred parents.

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166 of 188 people found the following review helpful

Child Abuse

By Kenneth R. Adams on March 7, 2009

Format: Paperback

This is an unbelievable way to view one's child. Anyone that has watched the slow painful death of a child from cancer would never wish cancer on their child. This book is an exploration in the self-absorbed nature of some parents. This father should have his children stripped from his home.

I'm the father of a 6 year old autistic child whom I love more than myself. I could never imagine having this thought of my child. I work everyday to make opportunities for my son, to change the world in my own small way. I work with legislatures to expand funding for education, I work with businesses to expand their accessibility for children and adults with developmental disability. What I don't do is sit back in a self absorbed pity party and objectify my child and wish cancer on him. This father is a failure, plain and simple.

This father should hang his head in shame for being a lousy parent. Get off your butt and be a man!

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89 of 99 people found the following review helpful

I am a cancer?

By Jade Walker on February 22, 2013

Format: Paperback

I have autism. Is this saying that I am worse than cancer? Saying things like that about us really hurts. Why do people do it?

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103 of 117 people found the following review helpful

Disgusting way to market a book

By Sharon F on March 12, 2009

Format: Paperback

I have an autistic son, and lost my mother to cancer when she was in her forties. I would not ever for even a second wish that my delightful, sometimes difficult, always loved child has to deal with the agony she suffered. I do not understand anyone attempting to sell a book with such a contentious, damaging title. It is revolting. Shame on you and shame on Amazon and any other company for selling this.

Nothing contained in this book will make it worth reading after this deliberately provocative title. Instead of wishing your children had a horrible and mostly fatal disease, grow up, deal with it and learn how to be a father.

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90 of 102 people found the following review helpful

My kid had cancer and I just wish he had been HEALTHY

By Jared's Mom on May 19, 2009

Format: Paperback

I don't care what's inside the book the title is totally insulting. My kid had cancer and it was the WORST THING EVER. Don't compare your troubles to mine and as a parent feel that your struggles are somehow worse. We all have difficulties as parents and we deal with them. There is no need to compare miseries and insist you somehow ended up more miserable. Please.

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54 of 60 people found the following review helpful

From the mother of a cancer child; how dare you!

By TracyB on June 1, 2014

Format: Paperback

Let me paint you a picture, Mr. Alan. I'm currently sitting on my couch next to my 7 year-old son; he's spiking a fever, which means we're going to have to pack up our hospital bag and drive 45 minutes to the children's hospital. He's in tears because he just spent a week in-patient and doesn't want to miss his last week of school before summer break. You see, when he was 5 years old he was diagnosed with high-risk Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. He has been fighting for the last two years with every day chemo, spinal taps, bone marrow biopsies, cranial radiation, and several adjunct medications that make him feel horrible every day. I have had to sit by his hospital bed for days on end wondering if he'll survive and listening to him cry in pain. 3 times we almost lost him; 3 times my heart stopped beating from shear terror. He's lost his hair twice, been unable to walk because of the leg pain from one of his chemos, had the mucous membranes in his mouth and entire intestinal tract fall off leaving extremely painful sores, and can't go in the sun or his face will get painful rashes.

Even if/when my son kicks this cancer, the residual effects of three and a half years of chemotherapy means a significantly shorter life-span. Most childhood cancer survivors (80% to be exact) end up succumbing to organ failure before they reach the age of 30. This is just a tiny snapshot into what we have to face every day; now tell me again how you wish your children had cancer. Tell me.

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97 of 111 people found the following review helpful

OMG!

By Sherry on March 28, 2009

Format: Paperback

I was walking through the education section at Barnes and Noble today and did a double take when I saw the title of this book. Being the parent of a child with cancer, I have to ask how many times he had to watch his child have bone marrow aspirations? spinal taps? blood transfusions? chemo drips? How many parties, school events, family gatherings, or play dates did his kids have to miss because they were too sick or their immune systems were too fragile to be exposed to germs?? Did he ever have to worry that the common cold could KILL his children?? How many times did he lay in bed at night wondering if the treatment would work just so his child could live? Mr. Alan, be careful what you wish for.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

If you haven't read this book why are you rating it?

If you don't like it, don't read it....that simple. Unless you've walked in this man's shoes and felt his grief let him be. We all handle stress differently. Read more

Published 56 minutes ago by Amazon Customer

Reviewers have not read the book apparently

Looks like the majority of the reviewers here have not read the book. Cancer is curable (in many cases), autism on the other hand is not.

Published 1 hour ago by helohe

Five Stars

its banter

Published 5 hours ago by Tom

Three Stars

Innovative story telling.

Published 7 hours ago by Milkman

One Star

This is real? hahaha

Published 8 hours ago by Audie

One Star

I hope you get a$$ cancer

Published 8 hours ago by Jess DeVose

You are sick and insensitive

I have Asperger's, and guess what? It's not that bad. Sure, I'm not Mr. Popular, but I have a few friends because I'm nice to them. I don't do a lot of things friends, why? Read more

Published 10 days ago by Joseph

To say you wish your children had cancer is like saying you wish they...

My daughter is dead. She lived 7 years, 6 of them fighting cancer. To say you wish your children had cancer is like saying you wish they were dead. Is autism really that bad? Read more

Published 1 month ago by ilamonihowie

Appalling

This is heartrending. When I saw this title I thought it was a sarcastic Facebook meme poking fun at parents who catastrophise.

To find its real is just too much. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Cecilia

Crappy Pity Party Memoir

My sister has autism and i would never want her to ever hear of this book. She is the most wonderful and interesting person. Read more

Published 3 months ago by charlotte

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