A general surgeon by training, Dr. John G. West became fascinated with the multidisciplinary team approach to breast cancer care in the mid 1980's. His previous experience as a pioneer in the development of regional trauma systems set the stage for his interest in developing a team approach to breast care. Dr. West opened Orange County's first breast care center in 1988, and over the past 20 yrs has been on the cutting edge of developing a team approach to the care of patients with breast problems. He was cofounder and chairman of the board of the Be Aware Foundation, which is a community outreach program dedicated to the early detection of breast cancer. Dr. West has been named a Best Doctor in America and has been recognized as one of the "Best Doctors in Orange County." He has been the lead author in 20 peer review articles and has written two previous books.
Maralys Wills's has published 16 books spanning several genres and publishers. Her fiction works include four romance novels published by Harlequin and Silhouette and a techno-thriller Scatterpath about airplane sabotage. Among her ten nonfictions are two books on writing: Damn the Rejections, Full Speed Ahead won its category in Best Books (Stephens Press); a treatise on addiction (Hazelden); and four memoirs (Longstreet Press, Stephens Press). Three of Wills's volumes have won national awards. For 30 years Wills has been teaching novel-writing and memoirs, and in 2000 was named Teacher of the Year. With her lawyer-husband, Rob, she raised six children, five boys and a girl.
