One Step Beyond

One Step Beyond is an authentic account of a teenage girl's journey through a devastating health diagnosis in the prime of her adolescence and of a mother's unwavering determination to save her daughter's life. Personal journal entries written by Allison Kelba and her mom, Terry Ducharme, reveal the optimism, light-hearted humour, and practical wisdom both women drew upon time and again while confronting recurring hurdles and heartbreaking setbacks. Kelba's more recent tragic loss of the person most dear to her forms part of the women's shared story.

One Step Beyond doesn't sugar-coat the harrowing journey of coping with a brain tumour during the teenage years or the anger and pain a mother feels when her only child is suffering. It does reveal the strengths of two women who met the challenges they faced with laughter and steadfast Canadian prairie girl resilience. The private thoughts of Kelba and her mom, along with Kelba's present-day memories and reflections, also highlight how exceptional challenges are leavened and overcome through day-to-day choices, support from those who care, and the power of enduring love. Readers who may struggle with belief in themselves or in the power of love will be moved by the true gift of these two inspiring women's voices.

Finally, One Step Beyond reveals how "a mom shapes who we are and who we become: our strengths, our attitudes, our versatility - and the love we pass on to others."