This book is dedicated in loving memory to my parents, Harry and
Evelyn, whose love, faith, unconditional acceptance, and family values
instilled in me the fervent belief that all women and children should
be cherished and treated with compassion. Since my adolescence I
have been inspired by my mother’s quiet fighting spirit, resilience, and
altruistic nature as she survived 17 years after having been diagnosed
with breast cancer. This is my 34th book; it could not have been completed
without the compassion and perseverance my parents instilled
in me