Living A Life Not Defined By Loss (NAPSA)—For 30 years, cosmetic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Dennis Hurwitz has performed cosmetic transformations that thousands of his patients consider miracles. Yet a new book focuses not only on his ability to transform others, but also on how he respondedto life-altering tragedy and defeat. In 1989, his teenage daughter was brutally murdered in his own backyard, and, about a decade later, his career was in serious jeopardy after he lost a $3.55 million malpractice case that nearly led to personal bankruptcy. Remarkably, Dr. Hurwitz was not broken by either the loss of his child or the setback to his career. He and his wife remained married despite the odds and adopted two children. As for the setback to his career, his medical practice recovered, and he went on to television fame with his Total Body Lift breakthrough procedure. The life of Dr. Hurwitz is the fascinating subject of a new book, The Chase for Beauty (Morgan James Publishing), by writer and former Chicago Sun-Times reporter Robert Mendelson. The book is a complex and moving exploration of how one man thrives in spite of a cruelfate. “What I find fascinating about Dr. Hurwitz is that he didn’t die, mentally or spiritually, the night his daughter died,” says Mendelson. “He and his wife didn’t divorce as so often happens when a child dies; they didn’t leave Pittsburgh or even move from the home of the murder; they didn’t give up their careers; and even Robert Mendelson “A rewarding read.” Kirkus Discoveries though they were in their 40s, they adopted two babies. They chose to live life—not wallow in despair—despite everything that happened. That’s the kindof story that can never be told too much.” How people handle or react to life’s challenges can dictate how they choose to define their lives, and the book shows the kind of fortitude it takes to redefine a family and professionallife. According to Mendelson, Dr. Hurwitz exemplified how to keep living a worthwhile life when it would have been understandable if he simply gave up. “I think people are best defined not by their successes but by how they respond to adversity,” says Mendelson. The book is available where booksaresold.
