Elizabeth Benedict's 'Rewriting Illness' injects tragicomedy into a personal account of cancer diagnosis and treatment

Elizabeth Benedict’s eighth book, “Rewriting Illness,” blends dark humor with a firsthand cancer diagnosis and treatment narrative. The writer frames her story through a personal origin moment: in early June 2017, she discovered a lump after checking her armpit, spurred by lifelong health anxiety that began when a high school classmate died of Hodgkin’s disease. Benedict describes fear, uncertainty, and the escalation of testing, including Googling possible causes and getting guidance from her husband James and stepdaughter Emily, as well as a friend Deena, a 38-year breast-cancer survivor. The book also touches on trial-and-error home remedies—like jumping jacks and apple cider vinegar.