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Author Slowe recounts a series of remarkable events that altered almost every facet of her life. It began in 2018, on the Friday before the Labor Day weekend, when a co-worker asked her if she had gotten the fifty-dollar bonus that would be available to employees who had completed a yearly medical check-up. Slowe had already had her check-up without applying for the benefit, but her co-worker reminded her that she needed to complete a final portion of the requirement: a mammogram.
After making the necessary appointment, Slowe depicts in her story a wild weekend partying with friends and sweet recollections of a romantic interlude with her future husband. When the next working day comes, and the medical appointment is fulfilled, the mysterious value of the elusive “$50 bill” begins to show its true purpose—but not with the straightforward outcome Slowe had anticipated. A negative diagnosis, followed by pain, fear, and seemingly endless treatments, will reveal the bill’s true significance for Stowe and gradually evince admirably positive, long-term results. Renewed closeness to a family that had been drifting apart, the deep bond between husband and wife, and a sense of higher purpose are all rewards inherent in that small financial prize.
Former medical coordinator Slowe demonstrates in this potent memoir her ability to engage her readers as she pens a personal narrative that is both agonizing and joyful. As an outcome of the challenges she has faced, she has created an inspiring “give back” plan to aid and encourage others who may be experiencing similar traumas and setbacks. She recognizes the need for comfort from “empathy, compassion, and unwavering support” and helpfully shares those qualities with readers and fellow cancer survivors through the power of her well-chosen words and significant, emotive memories.