Saving Henry: A Mother's Journey

Boy, was I not going to read this book. Who wants additional pain; there's enough sadness? But I heard the author, Laurie Strongin, do a presentation and she was just so positive and appealing and smart that I really enjoyed her, even with a tear or two rolling down my cheek. I bought the book but still thought I wouldn't read it. But then I did, and I am so glad I did. It reads like a mystery that you know the end of, but still need to find out how to get there. It reads like an incredible love story that, again, you know has a sad ending, but was so worth it all the way. It reads like a family chronicle of strength and support in a very Jewish way, for me. It reads like an adventure story filled with Funland, Disney, Pringles, M & M's, and lots of ice cream. It completely reads like a true hero story, and while I know it's Henry, it is so so Laurie. She keeps marveling at his courage, his attitude, his positivity, and while I know kids come with their own little packaged personalities, there is nurture involved, and he gets so much of his approach to life from her. That is clear as day. I also learned a ton in a short time about how politics (not the boring kind) affects our very lives, and I mean that as our ability to actually stay alive. You can't read this without shaking your fist at the misconceptions that exist about stem cells and their origin. It's not maudlin. I did not cry reading it. I was too interested. Strongin doesn't try to pull our heartstrings, but they are pulled nevertheless. I cried later, digesting it. For her loss, for all of our loss. For gratitude. Since my mom got sick with 4th stage lung cancer last year, we have been focusing on living each day the way Laurie talks about it. Maybe not as many Pringles, mind you, but lots of family time and dinners and laughing. Strongin's book is much less about Henry's death than his life, and in a way, all of our lives. Thanks to Henry and Laurie for making the world a better place.

Saving Henry is a must read. It is a reminder of what is really important in life, what others deal with every day and how important it is to live every day to the fullest with our families. I appreciate Laurie (and her husband Allen) sharing so much of their lives for all of us to benefit.

Saving Henry is the powerful, heartfelt and beautifully written account of a remarkable young boy and his equally exceptional family as they fight his disease with love, laughter and by pushing the limits of scientific research and practice. It is through getting to know Henry, that we see the very real face of the over politicized stem cell debate. Laurie and Allen paved the way for broader genetic testing and the use of PGD that saves lives today. This is a story about dealing with adversity- it reminds us that we too will all face adversity in our lives at some point. We don't know what it will look like but we can only hope that we too will have the strength, bravery and ability to find love, joy and laughter in the most difficult and unimaginable circumstances that come our way. Reading this book might bring some tears but it will bring equal amounts of inspiration and dedication to approach life with courage, perspective and joy.

Saving Henry is a beautifully written, heartfelt tribute to an amazing child and his equally inspiring mother. The love that Laurie and Allen have for Henry is apparent from the moment he is born and even though they face numerous challenges, we never lose sight of the incredible bond between these loving parents and the child they so desperately want to save. Intermingled with inspiring stories about Henry's life and how well he lived, are the heart breaking medical failures that eventually lead to his untimely death. Even though he faces a painful terminal illness, Henry's life is filled with joy and love and happiness. Reading this book, although sad and painful at times, makes us appreciate the little things in life we so often take for granted. It shows us that a mother's love has no limits, even when our bodies do. We learn that superheroes come in all shapes and sizes, even brave little boys. And most importantly, it teaches us to value every day we have with the people we love and inspires us to truly "live well and laugh hard."

In Saving Henry, Laurie Strongin has written a beautiful and loving account of her family's struggle to save her son Henry from a devastating and ultimately fatal illness. While Laurie and her husband Allen embarked on a courageous 7-year journey through the frontiers of genetic research and medicine to save their son, they managed to celebrate Henry's life each day and to create an atmosphere for him and their entire family in which laughter, affection and bountiful love reigned. Strongin's writing conveys emotion, scientific detail and personal anecdotes in a manner that is vivid, gripping and accessible. By chronicling Henry's battle against Fanconi anemia, Strongin also serves as an extremely effective advocate for stem cell research and its promise to save lives. The real hero of this memoir is Henry. I learned a lot from him; that no matter what, it is important to laugh, to wonder, to savor the moment and (most of all) to love. Henry's humor, his strength,his effervescent boyishness and his courage all served to protect his family, his friends and the doctors who treated him. Henry was a super hero.