Dover grandmother writes children's book to make her cancer less scary for grandkids

DOVER — Barbara Burgess wrote a children's book, illustrated by her son Joel, to help make her cancer a little less scary for her grandchildren.

Burgess, 71, said after she was diagnosed in May 2019 and began treatment for breast cancer, her grandson Grayson, 6 at the time, was very worried when she began to lose her hair because of chemotherapy treatments.

"I was surprised myself because there was no real cancer history in my family," Burgess said. "I had an estrogen positive cancer, very common to women over 50, very treatable. But I had a mastectomy and they took out 19 affected lymph nodes.

So, she wrote a children's book, and Grayson's dad illustrated it.

"It led to a lot of good discussions about what was going on, and I think it helped," said Burgess. "I didn't plan to write a children's book, but circumstances made it the right time."

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The book is titled "My Horse With A Pink Bow." Two children, based more than loosely on her grandchildren Grayson and Avery, are worried when their favorite horse (Nana B) begins to lose her "mane" hair, slows down, then loses her appetite and gets pretty sick.

A passage from the book reads:

"My favorite horse is my Nana B. Such fun we have when she visits me. She's strong and fast as she gallops around. With me on her back, neigh is her sound."

Burgess, in real life, gave her grandchildren "horsey" rides, until she was unable to because of tough cancer treatments, including surgery, chemo and radiation. She also lost her appetite and was very ill. Through the book, Burgess explains to the young children what is happening and gives them hope she will soon return to health and rides.

She did.

To help keep the book positive, Burgess, known for her crazy sock choices, has the horse wear crazy socks during chemo and radiation treatments. Then it moves into her recovery, with all the things her grandchildren were worried about. She is currently participating in the Breast Cancer Weight Loss study at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and says she feels great again.

"I was always active, and the study helps to keep me motivated," she said.

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The book is dedicated to her late husband. "To my husband Ken Burgess, (who died in 1996) before his grandchildren were born. He would have been one of their favorite horses to ride, too."

Barrington resident Layne Case, a publisher of children's books for more than 20 years (Amity Publications) came to Cocheco Park Apartments, a senior living complex to do a six week community program about publishing children's books.

"I thought she was going to talk about the publishing business and it sounded interesting," Burgess said. "She did do that but she also challenged us to write a children's story of our own. I always liked to write. I wrote a children book called 'Salami Zoo' when my kids were small, and we were all living in Connecticut, but it never went anywhere."

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Burgess signed up for the program, and last week had her first book signing, in the lobby of Cocheco Park. She and Case are planning a more regional event soon.

"I am so excited that my son Joel agreed to do the illustrations," said Burgess. "It's something we have talked about doing before."

Her son Joel, his wife Brianna, Grayson and Avery just welcomed a new future reader. Autumn Grace was born in December. Grayson is now 9, and Avery is 5.

And Nana B is back.

To learn more about the book, visit Amity Publications or Amazon.

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Dover grandmother's book aims to make cancer less scary for grandkids