SummaryA world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon shares the lessons
of courage, compassion, and resilience that he's learned
from his exceptional young patients If I Get to Five is a
one-of-a-kind book by a one-of-a-kind human being. The
medical world knows him as Fred Epstein, M.D., the
neurosurgeon who pioneered life-saving procedures for
previously inoperable tumors in children. His patients and
their families know him simply as Dr. Fred, the "miracle
man" who has extended them both a healing hand and an open
heart. "I simply can't accept the idea of kids dying," is
how Epstein explains his commitment to saving patients. As
a child, he had to overcome severe learning disabilities to
realize his dream of becoming a doctor. Later, as the
world's leading pediatric neurosurgeon, he did whatever it
took to rescue children that other doctors had given up on.
Epstein credits his young patients as his most important
teachers. "We tend to think of children as fragile, little
people," he writes. "To me, they're giants." If I Get to
Five relates the unforgettable experiences he's shared with
children-lessons in courage, compassion, love, and hope-
that we can all draw on to overcome adversity at any stage
of life. In If I Get to Five, Epstein meditates on these
lessons at a time when they parallel his own experiences,
as he recovers from a near-fatal head injury.If I Get to
Five is a riveting profile of courage and compassion. No
one who reads this remarkable book will ever look at
children-or adversity-in the same way. Foreward"This book is a testament to the extraordinary depth,
power, and resiliency of children's spirits. It is also a
fresh reminder to all parents of what a precious gift each
child is."
Marian Wright Edelman, president, Children's Defense Fund "A magnificent tribute to human resiliency and hopefulness.
From Dr. Epstein's portrayals of children who have found
meaning amid horror to his own superbly interwoven
autobiography of a boyhood marred by academic failure, we
see the emergence of a truly great man. Readers will feel
energized by this remarkable portrayal of life's uphill
battles."
Mel Levine, M.D., author of A Mind at a Time
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