The Marvelous Transformation: Living Well with Autoimmune Disease by Emily A. Filmore,

Forward by Neale Donald Walsch, has just been released (Central Recovery Press, July 2015).

More than eighty health conditions are caused by autoimmune disease, with symptoms ranging from

occasionally uncomfortable to debilitating or life-threatening. Written by a fellow sufferer, this book

provides practical coping mechanisms to ease physical, mental, and emotional discomfort.


The AARDA (American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association) estimates that 50 million Americans have an autoimmune disease. However, these chronic diseases are dangerously undiagnosed, under-treated, mis-understood, and often the people suffering from them are dismissed, belittled and tossed around by the doctors in charge of their care because they don’t know

how to help. ​


Here are the main ideas we hope you will get from the book!

  1. The purpose of THE MARVELOUS TRANSFORMATION: LIVING WELL WITH AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE is to bring people back to themselves. We all have the power inside to create happiness regardless of external circumstance. This book is a practical guide to help people create a happy life! While it is written specifically about dealing with autoimmune disease, people with any chronic condition can learn from it.
  2. Unconditional self-love and humor play a large role in how we feel. A “bad” day can be made better. Even if you still have pain - you don’t have to suffer. It is important to eliminate shame and guilt from your vocabulary…being sick is not your fault.
  3. Patients with every condition have the right to be treated with respect and compassion by their healthcare providers. We can stand up for ourselves, respectfully, and advocate for ourselves! WE live in our bodies 100% of the time and are the experts on them; doctors know how to interpret our symptoms so we should work together for the best result! Patients should not be afraid to seek other opinions if their doctor-patient relationship is not working.
  4. An active support system is crucial to managing a chronic illness. This can be in the form of friends, family, spouse, pastor, and even, support groups! When we reach out to people in our lives, they want to help us.
  5. Life is beautiful! Finding enjoyment and gratitude in the little things can bring us back to that beauty; making our problems seem smaller.


Professional Endorsements:

“The story Emily tells in her own voice is one of sincerity, clarity, experience, and ultimately of hope. She eloquently transfers the life lessons she has learned as a patient into a guidebook for others who may be suffering in silence. I'm delighted to highly recommend The Marvelous Transformation to my patients and all patients with autoimmune diseases.” - Lisa Christopher-Stine, Director, Johns Hopkins Myositis Center, Associate Professor of Medicine and Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

“A must-read for autoimmune patients. A delightful book that empowers you and those who love you to make the best out of a difficult relationship with autoimmune disease. This book will help you find your healthfulness.” — Patricia Barber, Assistant Director and Patient Educator, American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association

The Marvelous Transformation is an engaging testament to the power of taking responsibility for your own well-being. Pain is unavoidable, but suffering is a choice. With unflinching honesty, Emily Filmore instructs and inspires by her own courageous example, showing readers how to transcend the pain and frustration of living with a chronic illness to live a life of joy, purpose, and deep personal satisfaction. I highly recommend this compassionate guide to anyone suffering from an autoimmune disease who is interested in dramatically increasing their quality of life.” — Terry Wahls, M.D. Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Iowa, and author of The Wahls Protocol: A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles


The Marvelous Transformation is an honest, intimate, and entertaining read based on personal experience with autoimmunity. Emily engages her readers by incorporating activities throughout the book while guiding them through their exploration into a complex illness process that does not have to be a negative experience. Whether you are a patient, caregiver, healthcare professional, or interested in learning more about living with autoimmunity, you will find great knowledge, an array of resources, and helpful tips that you will want to share with your family and friends to help them better understand autoimmunity.” — Jerry Williams, Board President, Myositis Support and Understanding Association


"Emily Filmore’s inspirational book is about her journey to self-awareness and self-compassion while coping with an autoimmune disease.  Filmore shares her challenging experiences with Juvenile Dermatomyositis, and intersperses it with mindfulness practices that helped her combat the fear, pain, and uncertainty inherent in living with a chronic disease. Filmore provides a guidebook of valuable mindfulness strategies and powerful practices that can help alleviate the physical and emotional impact for anyone battling an autoimmune disease or other chronic illness.  I personally was drawn to the book as the mother of children with autoimmune diseases and as a patient with a chronic disease.  I found it extremely beneficial as both a caregiver and a patient.  The self-compassion and mindfulness practices cultivate happiness, hope and healing while providing courage and strength to overcome adversity." — Shari Slater Hume, Co-founder, Cure JM Foundation


“Emily Filmore writes about her struggle with autoimmune disease with honesty and compassion. She offers tips on how to thrive while living with physical limitations that come straight from her own experience. If you or someone you love suffers from an autoimmune disease, Emily's words will help you feel less alone in what often feels like a lonely grind.” — Aisha Sultan, Nationally syndicated, award-winning columnist, Home and Family Editor for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“In the US alone, it is estimated that one in five or 20 percent of people suffer from autoimmune diseases. Emily Filmore lovingly and openly shares her journey—one of learning, spirituality, strength, love and compassion. This book is bound to help others by inspiring them, and their family members, to know that they too can handle anything that life might throw at them.” — Karin Volo, Best-selling author of Engage! and the Bringing Joy series


Reader Reviews:

“I read an advanced copy of this book and I loved everything about it. It made me laugh, and it made me cry and it made me a little more understanding of what autoimmune disease is not only from your point of view but also your family's. It is not only for those with autoimmune disease, but for anyone who has a chronic health issue that makes them feel alone in the world. While I don't have an autoimmune disease, I do have some serious health issues and this book has helped me to see that there are others out there that have the same thoughts and feelings of being alone and misunderstood at times. Thanks Emily, for having the courage to write about your own struggles and feelings about what you are going through. I think this book will be very helpful to a lot of people. Great job!”

– Angela Mast

“An amazing and uplifting read! This book is touching and heartfelt! It was comforting and inspiring! I laughed, I cried and I was excited to see what each chapter held! As someone who has an autoimmune disease I felt as if I were reading my own story. There is no better feeling than knowing you are not alone. Emily gives great advice and tips on how to conquer the autoimmune world head on and how to help you cope with feelings of despair and self worth. I highly recommend this book!”

– Darise G.

“Emily's book is full of knowledge, laughs and tears. Makes us all know and understand we are not alone with this horrible disease. Her story gives us hope that there is a better future and we shall never give up fighting. Thank you Emily for sharing your journey.”
– Maureen Crowley

“Brave and Funny. I think that this book should have an exclamation point due to its power. The author is extremely brave to let the world into her world--one that is filled with laughter and love but also pain and uncertainty. The message for all of us is one of resiliency, perseverance, and living in the moment. Truly inspirational!”

– Sheri Notaro


A great book that guides you through some of the most common rough times in the Myositis battle. She helps guide you and gives you questions to help you understand why you are feeling overwhelmed. You completely laugh and cry and understand that you can transform your life living with a chronic disease. She inspires you to never give up.

- Melinda


I really enjoyed reading this book. Looking forward to reading it again after my mom is done. I too have dermatomyositis. Highly recommend it.

-Janet Idziak


The Marvelous Transformation is a piece of work that invites journaling and multiple reads with each time a new awareness and appreciation. It is full of helpful and thought provoking treasures. Emily shares tender and personal topics of her journey, and invites others to share the same, even if just with themselves. Informative points, to name a few: coping, empowerment, alternative health, and an extensive appendix of reference categories. Each chapter also has a section dedicated to Caregivers, costars of our autoimmunity journey.

-Sarah H.

 

Living well with autoimmune disease

The marvelous transformation

Emily A. Filmore

  Copyright © Emily Filmore. All rights reserved. 

Author

Now available in all book stores and on Amazon.