After. - by Leslie J Waltke (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

There is an "after" cancer treatment, and it deserves its own conversation.

Internationally respected oncology physical therapist, Dr. Leslie Waltke works every day with cancer patients, survivors, their caregivers, and their clinicians. And every day, she sees a gap in cancer care: we have become remarkably good at treating cancer, but we have much more work to do helping people live well during and after it. The gap is large. After. was born from this gap.

After. is not a memoir. It is not a textbook. It is a carefully crafted guidebook that Dr. Waltke wishes she could hand to every survivor as they move beyond primary cancer treatment and begin navigating the often-unexpected realities of what comes next. While reaching the other side of treatment is something many people long for, life afterward is often far more complicated than anticipated. There is gratefulness. Guilt. Worry. Loss. Fatigue. Pain. Fear. Uncertainty. Confusion. Survivorship can be as complicated as treatment itself. Only now, the intensity and structure of the medical support system may suddenly fall away.

Blending evidence-based medicine with practical tools, patient stories, and deep respect for the cancer experience, Dr. Waltke helps survivors understand what they're experiencing, find answers to the questions that arise, and take practical steps toward feeling better, rebuilding strength, and moving forward. Designed to meet survivors where they are, After. functions like a menu of conversations, allowing readers to turn directly to what they need most: rebuilding strength, returning to exercise safely, managing lingering side effects, understanding changes in their body and brain, coping with fear of recurrence, navigating relationships, or figuring out how to live well when life no longer feels quite the same.

After. is written first and foremost for people living with and beyond cancer. Yet it is also for the people who walk beside them--partners, family members, friends, and caregivers who want to better understand what life after cancer can really be like. And it is for oncology physicians, clinicians, and rehabilitation professionals who want a credible, practical resource they can confidently put into their patients' hands.

When modern cancer care began taking shape decades ago, survivorship care was barely part of the conversation. Today, millions of people are living longer after a cancer diagnosis, yet many are left without clear guidance for navigating what comes next. After. exists to bridge the gap between medical treatment and real-life healing.

About the Author

Leslie J. Waltke, PT, DPT, is a nationally and internationally recognized oncology physical therapist, educator, and leader in cancer rehabilitation dedicated to helping people live well after cancer. She serves as Cancer Rehabilitation Coordinator for Advocate Health in Wisconsin and is an Assistant Professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. She has lectured throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, contributed to the World Health Organization's Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation, and authored a textbook chapter and numerous peer-reviewed publications. Through her clinical work, teaching, speaking, and hosting The After. Cancer Podcast, Dr. Waltke translates complex medical evidence into practical, compassionate guidance that empowers people to move well through and beyond cancer. Her mission is simple: to help people not simply survive cancer but live well after it.