In This Altered Body

"""As one of the surgeons who provided care to Charlene, I can without reservation confirm that Charlene's journey has been a truly remarkable and miraculous path of recovery. Here she details every grueling physical, psychological, and emotional step she has taken as she has responded to the challenge of redefining her life. This is a must read for anyone who values the human capacity for recovery and growth!"" -Michael Peck, MD, FACS, former president of the Board of Trustees of the American Burn Association ""In this moving, vulnerable memoir, Pell offers an enduring contribution to the testimony of human resilience . . . Pell's bold, inspiring memoir challenges readers to deeper empathy and to confront preconceived notions and biases."" -BookLife Reviews ""Charlene Pell has given us an inspiring, uplifting, motivating book about overcoming unthinkable loss and adversity. After getting burned, disfigured, and disabled by a catastrophic accident that essentially melted her lovely face and hands, she shows gob-smacking grit, fortitude, focus, character, confidence, and faith . . . In This Altered Body is a book for anyone with a big challenge, not just burn survivors and the people who love them . . . It's a great read, with powerful lessons in how to get where you need to be, all the while honoring your beautiful inner self."" -Belleruth Naparstek, psychotherapist, author, and founder of Health Journeys, a guided imagery audio library ""This engrossing memoir of surviving a horrific plane crash and a series of crushing life changes shows how persistence and a willingness to try can make all the difference. Charlene Pell never gave up. She's a forceful role model for transforming tragedy into an inspiration for others."" -Katherine Ramsland, bestselling author of Confession of a Serial Killer ""It is not often that I open a memoir and can't put it down. This stunning book provides an opening into the lives and souls of people who, because of severe burn injury, often live on the periphery of our society. Charlene does this by skillfully sharing her own journey of healing from severe burns-healing both physically and psychologically. Her perceptive insight and engaging style capture her experience in a way that is courageous, compassionate, and compelling. Charlene's narrative of survival is not only a testament to her own resilience but also a lesson to all of us as we connect with the vagaries of life."" -Dave Sluyter, former CEO of the Fetzer Institute"