Biography & True Stories

The Long Tale of Tears and Smiles

An Oncologist's Journey

by Rana Bitar, M.D.

Description

The Long Tale Of Tears And Smiles explores an immigrant oncologist’s journey of triumphs and struggles, from growing up in Syria, to the tragic death of her brother, to her experiences as a young immigrant medical student and trainee in the USA. Walk through her anguish witnessing the civil war in Syria and its devastation; see her become a practitioner, watching the field of oncology evolves throughout the years.
This narrative-driven case study interweaves the stories of the patients Bitar has cared for with her own life stories; it reflects on how her patients’ lives and the stories of their survival or death inspired and changed her life starting and raising a family. Each patient’s approach to illness and end-of-life is as unique as they are, and each person’s journey contains unexpected lessons.
In the space between life and death, Bitar’s profession thrives; and in that space, she can search for the meaning of her existence.

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Rights Information

World rights available

Author Biography

Rana Bitar was born and raised in Damascus, Syria. She immigrated to the United States after graduating from Aleppo University School of Medicine in 1990. Rana completed her internal medicine training in 1995 at Monmouth Medical Center in NJ; and her subspecialty training in hematology and oncology in 1998 at Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC. She is currently in private practice in Upstate New York where she lives with her husband, Joseph and two children, Jad and Enana.

 

In addition to her medical practice, she is a published writer and poet. In January 2017, she earned her Master’s Degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. Her poetry has appeared in  The Deadly Writers Patrol journal,  DoveTales journal,  Earthen Lamp JournalPittsburgh Poetry ReviewMagnolia Review, and  El Portal journal. Her Poetry chapbook  A Loaf Of Bread was published by  Unsolicited Press, January 2019. Rana writes in both English and Arabic.

 

She has spoken at several conferences and workshops. Rana has read in both, poetry houses settings, cafes and university settings. Some of the places she's read at are: Colombia Presbyterian Medical Center, Rooklyn International Football Association, Nuyorican Poet Café and Rayan’s daughter in NYC, Collar Works Gallery for Article 13 Project in Troy, NY, Refugee and Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus in Albany, NY, and Burlington and Montpelier in Vermont.

Copyright Information

Copyright © 2021 Rana Bitar

Global Collective Publishers

Global Collective Publishers

Global Collective Publishers, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is an independent publisher whose mission is to provide a platform for voices from around the world, crossing the borders of language, culture, religion, and gender, and to create a space where diverse communities can share and exchange stories that express their individual and shared sense of humanity through a variety of literary genres in fiction and non-fiction. In a world that feels increasingly more alienating, it is our aim to work towards dispelling the fear of the other and stand against literature of hatred, embracing the shared human experience in its myriad textures and voices through a curiosity-driven life. Global Collective is committed to publishing across a diverse landscape of fiction and non-fiction, in the areas of religion and spirituality, personal growth and self-transformation, gender and LGBT+ studies, social awareness, art and cinema. Global Collective takes to heart Booker Prize winner Ben Okri’s assertion that “stories can conquer fear… they can make the heart bigger.”Global Collective Publishers seeks unique and extraordinary literature that satiates our desire to gain a deeper understanding of the world around us and to discover points of commonality amongst our differences where words have no borders.

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Bibliographic Information

  • Publisher Global Collective Publishers
  • Publication Date June 2021
  • Orginal LanguageEnglish
  • ISBN/Identifier 9781734401967
  • Publication Country or regionUnited States
  • FormatPaperback
  • Primary Price 18.99 USD
  • Pages288
  • ReadershipGeneral
  • Publish StatusUnpublished
  • Copyright Year2021
  • Page size228 x 152 (228 x 152) mm

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