Deborah Lang Hampton departed this earthly life Saturday, March 6, 2010, 6:02 PM surrounded by family and friends singing and offering prayers. Her passing was gentle and easy. Has ever a soul endured so much for so long?  Truly she has taught us so much about transcending illness with grace.

Link to a short documentary created by Chris Hampton on the life of Deborah Lang Hampton shown at the memorial service held Saturday, March 13th, 2010 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Slapped Awake is a welcome addition to literature dealing with transformation in the face of life-changing, life-threatening circumstances. When diagnosed with breast cancer in her early 40's, Debbi found herself confronted not only with medical and treatment decisions, but larger issues about what it means to be a woman, to be fully alive, and to make sense of suffering. The persistence of her disease for more than a dozen years, including its spread to other parts of her body, has forced her to create a life that includes cancer as a partner and potent teacher. This compelling memoir is not only a chronicle of Debbi's experience, but also an intimate look at the emotional terrain of cancer survivorship through powerful poetry interspersed throughout the prose and information and resources for coping with cancer. Deborah Hampton's honesty, courage, and humor are the fuel for this candid journey, offering one woman's map into enemy territory and how she befriended an adversary.

A reader's review of the book Slapped Awake on Amazon.com:

"I tend to avoid books that I think may be "depressing." However, once I started reading this book, it seemed everything but that. Deborah's story is so riveting, it's hard to put "Slapped Awake" down. I was immediately drawn into her story, laughing at her sassy, irreverent humor, and deeply touched by her insights as she describes the realities of breast cancer. Even though she unsparingly details the journey of someone dealing with a terrible illness, the book never becomes maudlin or tragic. Instead, I felt uplifted by her spirited story--and by what it means to live deeply and richly even under the most challenging of circumstances. My husband read and loved this book, too. This is the kind of book you'll want to share with everyone you know."

Read Debbi's Post Book Essays for the continuing story.