Andrea Hutton, author of Bald is Better with Earrings, A Survivor’s Guide to Getting Through Breast Cancer, spoke, answered questions from the crowd, and signed copies of her book at Antioch University Santa Barbara on Wednesday, July 15 in the first event of the Authors@Antioch series.
Throughout her speech, Andrea emphasized her positive attitude and ability to keep her sense of humor, despite suffering “every possible side effect” during her treatments. Chaucer’s Bookstore had copies of Andrea’s book on hand for purchase.
After her talk, Andrea answered questions from Barbara Greenleaf, moderator and AUSB’s Director of Institutional Advancement, and spent several minutes taking questions from an audience that filled the Community Hall.
In 2009, at the age of 41, Andrea was diagnosed with breast cancer. “I wanted to know everything,” said Andrea. “So I researched as much as I could on the web. I looked for books to give me an idea of what the treatments and surgery and radiation would feel like, and I couldn’t find it all in one place. I kept thinking somebody must have written this book. But they hadn’t. So I wrote it.”
The result is Bald is Better with Earrings (HarperWave), a comprehensive, must-have roadmap for anyone who is dealing with breast cancer or supporting someone with the disease. The book is a frank, funny, and uplifting guide to dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis. Andrea takes the reader through all the steps: the initial diagnosis, surgery, the physical and emotional aftereffects of chemo and radiation treatments, and the recovery process. Now cancer-free, Andrea lives in Santa Barbara with her husband and two children. Learn more about her story at http://www.baldisbetterwithearrings.com.
“This book should be in every oncologist’s waiting room,” said Dr. Mukul Gupta, MD, oncology/hematology, at the Sansum Clinic in Santa Barbara. Dr. Erin Ellis, MD, a medical oncologist at the Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle, called the book, “A brave, practical, and sometimes lighthearted guide to what can be a grueling journey.”
“We are delighted to bring Andrea Hutton onto campus to kick off our Authors@Antioch series,” said Greenleaf. “The series fits well with our Masters of Fine Arts in writing, which is scheduled to launch in the fall of 2016.”
More authors and dates in the Authors@Antioch series will be announced later this year. View more photos of the evening on the AUSB Facebook page.
