Tiffany Berg, author and motivational speaker, has released her first children's book, "If Cancer Was a Fish I'd Throw It Back."
The 18-page, fully illustrated children's book takes the emotions brought on by a cancer diagnosis and exhibits them in a way a child can relate to. Berg, who is from Lehi, compares feelings of fear about cancer to monsters in the closet or wishing you could ignore cancer like you can a phone call or stomping it out like a big hairy spider.
Children's emotional expressions are different than adult expressions, Berg said.
"They worry if cancer is contagious," she said. "Can they touch someone with cancer? Did they get cancer because they were bad? Is that why God hasn't taken it away?"
Berg's husband was diagnosed with cancer in 2004. As she and her five children struggled with a roller coaster of emotions, she said, she wished she had the means to help her children communicate their feelings, whether angry or sad.
"I really wanted our kids to have the vocabulary and permission to talk about how they felt," Berg said.
Her book, "If Cancer Was a Fish," came about after Berg's children lost their dad. Berg wanted other children struggling to understand cancer, whether it be their own diagnosis or that of a loved one, to have the right and the know-how to articulate the way they were feeling.
"The story 'If Cancer Was a Fish' is really only the ice breaker; its companion 'Cancer Hurts' coloring book is what opens the door so you can make known a child's inner emotions," Berg said.
The coloring images are taken directly from the books illustrations.
When expressing their feelings, adults can communicate by expressing that they feel anxiety, anger or depression. Children cannot; they don't have the words. Coloring opens that line of communication and expression.
Berg shared that from her experiences a child's emotions are more intense and aren't as transparent as adults. Many will hide them, not wanting to burden their parents or even unsure about what they are feeling. The fear of expressing their anger or sadness might make their parents feel sad or cry.
"It's very profound to see what kids do with the coloring pages," she said. "It is such a great way for them to express themselves and it's a powerful tool, too, for us to see how they are truly feeling."
After her last event presenting her work at Orem Public Library, Berg said children would come up to her with colored pages expressing how they felt when their dog was hit, or when they moved away from friends.
"We showed them how to take these emotions that they already recognized and use them in relation to their feeling of cancer," she said.
"If Cancer Was a Fish" was written for anyone, ages 3 to 93.
"Even reading the book as an adult helps," Cindy Anderson said. "You realize these rude feelings you are experiencing are normal and you can find ways to channel it. This book teaches everyone how to express their feelings appropriately."
Andersen said she became acquainted with Berg during a benefit for Anderson's husband. Berg participated in trying to raise money for additional cancer treatments. Her husband died this spring, a month after Berg's book was released.
"Obviously hearing about Cindy and her four kids' loss, I immediately felt connected to them, their circumstances were similar to mine," Berg said. "I was able to get them a book and have a personal coloring session with them using the companion coloring book. It was so great to share our hurt with each other."
For future event readings visit Berg's website, www.TiffanyBerg.com. You can also view a book-reading on YouTube: "If Cancer Was a Fish" -- Tiffany Berg reads her new book at http://bit.ly/iQMyHu. For a video demonstrating techniques you can use with children on the "Cancer Hurts" coloring pages, visit http://color-motion.com.
"I have a very tender spot in my heart for Tiffany," Anderson said. "She has an amazing way of allowing people to give voice to their feelings, no matter what those feelings are. Tiffany and her book has been such a gift to the life of me and my kids."
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