It’s Good to Know a Miracle: Dani’s Story

A deeply personal, heartwarming, fact-filled testimonial to the power of positive energy and medical advocacy to bring about the miracle of a second chance at life through transplantation In this inspirational and informative book, Dani’s parents, Jay and Sue Shotel, vividly convey the strength and courage their daughter displayed in her battle with AML, as they tell the story of the events that led to her recovery.

In this inspirational and informative book, Dani’s parents, Jay and Sue Shotel, vividly convey the strength and courage their daughter displayed in her battle with AML, as they tell the story of the events that led to her recovery. Along the way they provide a wealth of information about leukemia, and tell engrossing stories about their family’s journey to an unknown place, the roles each family member played to support Dani in her fight for life, the value of love and friendship, the anguish in the quest for answers, the power of positive thinking, the vital decisions a family must make as they proceed through the medical maze, and about the young German citizen, Tom--who donated the marrow that saved Dani’s life and then flew in to Washington, D.C., to attend Dani and Scott’s wedding in 2005! The vivid details in It’s Good to Know a Miracle: Dani’s Story, are made possible because Sue Shotel insisted that the family keep a log of everything that occurred during the period from September 11, 2002, until Dani’s release from the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and return to Washington, D.C. in May of 2003. In telling their story, the authors hope that the level of detail provided in this book will assist families who face similar circumstances in dealing with the known, the unknown, and the decisions that need to be made along the way. Reviews: “One of 10 Health Books in 2008 ‘You’ll Actually Want to Read’”—Laura Landro, Wall Street Journal “This is a book that will touch your heart as well as take you on a grueling journey with a happy ending.”—Anne Stinson, Book Critic, Easton Star Democrat Endorsements: “This is an amazing story of a woman who stayed strong in the struggle to fight (and WIN!) for her life. Her dedication, passion and insights in coping with the emotional and physical pain during her journey no doubt played major roles in her ability to ‘beat leukemia’. She is an inspiring figure and gives hope to all of us who ultimately will experience a life’s greatest challenge.”—F. Marc Stewart, MD, Medical Director, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance “A deeply personal, remarkably detailed testimonial to the power of positive energy and medical advocacy to bring about the miracle of a second chance at life through transplantation. Jay and Sue persuasively share the many perspectives that encompass the transplant journey….from that of caregiver, to patient to medical staff. Every reader will find many wonderful lessons and inspiration to take away from this tale. I commend the authors for their honesty and perseverance in the detail of the telling.”—Lynne Coughlin Samson, Esq., Executive Director National Transplant Assistance Fund & Catastrophic Injury Program

JAY R. SHOTEL is a Tenured Professor of Special Education and Chair, Department of Teacher Preparation and Special Education at George Washington University, Washington, D.C. Over the past 15 years, Dr. Shotel has created numerous partnerships with local school systems designed to prepare both regular and special educators and is currently the principal investigator on three such projects. In addition he was an American Council on Education Fellow in 1989-90 and the "Teacher Educator in Residence" at the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) in 1998-99. He currently serves on the Board of Examiners of NCATE, as a team chair and cadre leader, and as a member of the Committee on Research and Information of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). Dr. Shotel’s current interests include performance based teacher education, teacher recruitment and retention issues, technology applications in teacher education and an ongoing interest in inclusive special education practice. He recently completed a national study sponsored by AACTE on Performance Based Elementary Teacher Education.