Books for Isa

How would I feel if someone I was responsible for was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness? I had never thought much about this question until recently. Earlier this month, I reconnected with an old friend from Chinese medicine school through facebook. I was close to finishing all of the writing for my book and she offered to help me look over the entire manuscript and provide editing. I felt so lucky to reconnect with an old friend and was moved by her generosity in helping me edit the entire book for nothing more than her own copy. We started working and editing across continents via email.

After about a week of us working, she emailed me to let me know her three year-old daughter, Isa, had been diagnosed with leukemia. I cannot imagine what it is like to hear that one’s child has leukemia. I felt like I was punched in the gut when I heard the news, so I can only imagine my friend and her husband felt like they had garbage trucks dropped on them.

A childhood friend of hers, who runs her own business selling handmade jewelry and other accessories, designed two cute hats to raise money for my friend. I have decided to follow suit.

I am giving 10% of my profit from sales of Classical Chinese Medical Texts directly Isa’s family. Windstone Press has decided to also give 10% of the profits for all three volumes to her family for the first year each book is out.

The type of leukemia Isa has is very treatable, but the course of treatment could be as long as three years. The family has moved into an apartment near the hospital so they can be close to their daughter while she receives chemotherapy and other treatments. I hope that by providing part of the proceeds of this book, they will have a little less to worry about while they are caring for their daughter.

Just go to the family’s blog to get an up-to-date account of what the family is dealing with. You can also support them through Isa’s Hats (which is where I was inspired to do something).