Neha Ganju Tanna was about to turn thirty-three when she first ended up in the ER. It wasn’t long before the doctors gave her a tragic diagnosis: she had stage 4 kidney cancer. She fit absolutely none of the common demographics for this illness, but she had it all the same.
So many people would have given up all hope, but Neha wasn’t like most people. Instead, she poured her insight, wisdom, wit, and warmth into this new memoir. Along the way, she laid out important advice for her daughter when she reached different stages of her own life. Neha accepted that she would not get the chance to see her beautiful Aariyana grow up and become a mother herself, but she remained determined to guide her daughter through the difficulties ahead.
This poignant look at one woman’s life shows Neha’s strong spirit and her endless compassion for others. Some entries reflect her inner thoughts and desires; others are written for her family and friends. At the end of her life, Neha came to important revelations about the nature of family, love, and spirituality and was determined to share them with the ones she loved.
One moment, Neha Ganju Tanna was a happy new mother to a beautiful baby girl. The next, she was a terminal cancer patient.
Neha refused to let her diagnosis define her. Body Betrayed Beauty is a compilation of her writings near the end of her life. Through her insight and advice, Neha left an important legacy for the ones she left behind.
Much of Neha’s memoir is directed to her daughter. She describes cherished memories with her new baby girl and offers her insight into all the challenges of growing up. Neha also shares the everyday challenges of being a cancer patient and the need to raise awareness of the insidious disease. Finally, she delves into her own ideas about the nature of God, family, and identity. Each new page reveals a fascinating new facet of an amazing woman—and a new lens through which to view our own lives.
Cancer Survivor Pamela Falk