Just Diagnosed - by Jennifer Omholt Paperback

Book Synopsis

For newly diagnosed cancer patients, a uniquely comprehensive and empowering guide offering all the information needed to navigate critical early decisions with clarity, confidence, and a greater sense of control.

"You have cancer." Few phrases hit harder--or leave you feeling more lost.

Just Diagnosed is a compassionate resource for people reeling from the shock of a life-changing diagnosis. Written by seasoned journalist and twenty-four-year cancer survivor Jennifer Omholt, this practical guide empowers patients to take charge of their care from day one. With warmth and clarity, Omholt offers guidance on how to share the news, enlist the help of loved ones, prepare for appointments, ask the right questions, build a trusted care team, and navigate insurance.

In addition to logistical guidance, this book offers emotional support and evidence-based integrative therapies that support immune health and ease anxiety, depression, and fatigue. A dedicated chapter on financial resources also offers real-world tools for managing the high cost of cancer care.

With a foreword by Dr. Debu Tripathy of MD Anderson Cancer Center, Just Diagnosed draws on lived experience to shepherd readers from overwhelm to action, helping them feel less alone, more prepared, and ready to take the next step.

Review Quotes

"For the past forty years, I have been asked to read and review a great many books on the cancer experience. Just Diagnosed is unquestionably one of the best and most useful. It is beautifully written with profound insights and great wisdom."--Rachel Naomi Remen, MD, New York Times best-selling author of Kitchen Table Wisdom and cofounder of the Commonweal Cancer Help Program

"Just Diagnosed is a compassionate, practical guide that empowers patients to take charge of their care so they can navigate cancer with clarity and confidence. Drawing on personal experience and evidence-based strategies, Jennifer Omholt provides tools for informed medical decisions and for building emotional and physical resilience. An essential resource for anyone facing the uncertainty of a new diagnosis."--Lorenzo Cohen, PhD, Richard E. Haynes Distinguished Professor and Director, Integrative Medicine Program, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and coauthor of Anticancer Living: Transform Your Life and Health with the Mix of Six

"What a treasure! A blow-up of the cover should be posted by the front entrance of all cancer centers. Just Diagnosed is an invaluable gift to people commencing their cancer journey who seek to increase their sense of control and become an active participant on their care team. Incredibly complete, detailed, user-friendly, and empowering!"--Donald I. Abrams, MD, Professor Emeritus of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, and specialist in integrative cancer care at the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health

"You are not a statistic; this guide ensures you won't feel like one. Just Diagnosed transforms fear into actionable steps, blending personal insight with practical tools--from diaphragmatic breathing techniques to navigating clinical trials and medical bills."
--Ting Bao, MD, MS, FSIO, Co-Director, Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies and Healthy Living at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School

About the Author

Jennifer Omholt is a journalist and twenty-four-year cancer survivor. After being diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer when her son was just sixteen months old, she searched for a guide to ease her fear and confusion but found nothing that met the urgency of the moment. Now she's created the resource she wished she had then. A passionate advocate for integrative care, Jennifer strongly believes in combining conventional treatment with restorative mind-body practices. She lives in San Anselmo, California, with her husband.