Prof. Dr. Harkányi Zoltán 
Head of Department, Head Physician 
Heim Pál Children’s Hospital, Budapest

Bravery test

The “Bravery Test” is a special, heart-smothering storybook. The aim of the book was to tell children suffering from cancer, leukaemia what will happen to them during the tests and treatments. The enterprise is unique as storybooks with such goal have not been written so far.

The story unfolds in a much-loved style and graphical format, known very well by the children. I must add that this book is also an extremely valuable read for the parents, as very often they are not aware either of the essence and procedure of MR, CT, or PET/CT examinations or how the bone-marrow transplant works. The introduction of side-effects related to the treatments plays a vital role in the book.

I consider this excellent book of Erika Bartos as an extremely precious and important work. In a staggering and shocking situation, where the family and children are at the time of the recognition of the illness, such informative publications may help an awful lot; it might resolve some of the anxiety related to the illness and helps to accept the treatments. At the Radiological Department of the Heim Pál Children’s Hospital we meet children on a daily basis, who independently from their age cooperate very well with us during the treatments if we discuss with them in advance what will happen. Preliminary “storytelling” may boost a much better cooperation, which we experience very often during CT or ultrasound examinations.

As a parent and grandparent I consider the “Bravery Test” a very neatly designed and illustrated book.