Don't Bet Against Me!: Beating the Odds Against Breast Cancer and in Life

One of the best autobiographical books I've read in a long time. An open and honest account of her life and experiences. It warmed my heart. Deanna Favre describes her thoughts and feelings on everything -- her small town world, her tribulations with Brett -- even questioning her relationship with him and his addiction problems, her experiences being in the public eye and the greatest challenge of her life -- surviving breast cancer. This book is sprinkled with her strong faith in God -- something I wasn't sure I would want to read but it honestly has helped me in that regard. I admire her strength and courage. Deanna Favre has dignity, integrity and class. She is the embodiment of what it is to be a "lady".

Living as a football player's wife in the fishbowl of Green Bay Wisconsin can't be easy for someone like Deanna Favre. Self-described as very shy and uncomfortable in the spotlight, she has generally tried to live her life and do her humanitarian works under the radar. But all that changed when she was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago. Favre decided to try and battle through the shyness to reach out and tell her story to raise awareness. First off, I was surprised at how candid the book was about several aspects of her life. Living in a "town" like Green Bay (population 103,000) is not easy when all eyes are on #4. Rumors and stories of Favre's "wild" ways when he first came to town are essentially confirmed by Deanna with no apologies. I thought I had heard all the stories about Favre's behavior off the field but there were several that caught me by surprise. For instance, I did not know that Favre had slipped back into his self-destructive behavior in 1999 when Deanna was pregnant with their younger daughter Breleigh. Deanna talks openly of her struggle with loving a man who was on a self-destructive path and not knowing whether to stay with him or leave. Deanna Favre talks of her struggles to have another child and the struggles with whether to take the "science" route with invitro fertilization. She talks of the struggles she had when she was a single mom and bounced checks not because of bad bookkeeping but because she literally did not have enough money to pay the bills. She talks of her prayers and reliance on the Bible and the help of her Christian friends and faith through this and many other trying times. But most importantly, Favre talks about breast cancer in a way that any woman can relate. Just 35 years old when diagnosed, she is like thousands of women who have no family history and are not in the breast cancer "demographic". Feeling blessed to have good insurance and not having to worry about money, Deanna wants to raise money for the uninsured and underinsured women who are battling the disease. I've read all sorts of memoirs of people who were thrust into the public eye and this one really made an impact on me. Years ago I read a rare interview with Deanna Favre in the newspaper and came to the conclusion that Brett Favre would have either become a flash-in-the-pan drunk former NFL quarterback or a dead one if he didn't have Deanna in his life; this book just confirms that for me. Behind every successful man is an even greater woman.

Deanna Favre chose to go public with her illness to help other women and I believe she will succeed beyond her wildest dreams. This book is an important read for everyone. We all need to know what people who are fighting this terrible disease go through on a daily basis and what we can do to help. Deanna Favre is an inspiration and the first thing I'm going to do is send a copy of this book to a friend of mine who is fighting the disease. The second thing I'm going to do is put my copy on my "keeper shelf". I know I'll be reading it again. It's that good!!

I just bought this book from the Packers Pro Shop on Friday. It is a GREAT read. Deanna is a lady of class and integrity and this book only drives that point home. In this book she shows how a lady of quiet strength and personal conviction can overcome even the most devastating circumstances like breast cancer, multiple deaths in the family as well as weathering the ups and downs of being married to a three-time MVP quarterback. Whether you are a football fan or not - a Packer fan or not - you WILL enjoy this book.

Deanna Favre seems to be a very sensitive woman who cares deeply about the lives of women, particularly those who are sick and/or have low incomes. This book is a compelling read whether you have a specific connection to someone with breast cancer or not. Deanna's generous spirit shows as she shares her spirituality and her joys and sorrows. I just ordered four copies of her book to give to people on my Christmas list -- both men and women!