I put my own father in prison. 16 years of sexual abuse and threats. 16 years of fear and silence. 16 years of forced smiling and resilience. 10 years of studies. 7 years of pregnancy. 4 years of criminal trials. 10 years of marriage. 5 years of deception. Half a year of cancer…and only 37 years old.

There was no time to ask ‘Why me ?’. Facing my own mortality made me realise that a big chapter of my life was not over yet and that I was not as free as I thought I was. These pages have written themselves in the middle of a still, ongoing heavy storm.

I may not be able to control what happens to me but I can always choose how to face it. This book will shed light on a far too common issue while encouraging you to self-analyse to create change in order to get you through your own ‘years’.

Dr. Mary Faltz is a clinical research scientist and an accredited pharmacist. The second born in a family of six children, she is a survivor of child sexual abuse that lasted 16 years. At the age of 37, she was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer that she is determined to outsmart with her scientific knowledge. She is a single mother to four beautiful children and she knows that her late daughter, who is her guardian angel is watching over her. Dr Mary is determined to reach out and guide people to find their inner strength to get through any adversity life throws at them.

At the age of 9, Mary’s ordeal began when her father molested her for the first time while her mother was admitted for another long psychiatric hospital stay. The sexual abuse went on for a horrid 16 years behind closed doors. Nobody seemed to be intrigued by her silent cries of help. With a brave smile on her face, she was living a double life filled with extreme control, fear and pain. She was her father’s obsessive possession. He threatened her in the most horrible ways over 16 years of her life and yet, she succumbed, stood up and struck back. After a mediatised, 4-year trial, he was finally sentenced to 15 years in prison. Since her family stood by the offender, Mary was left on her own. She finally had a voice and was heard. She stood up for herself and justice was made for that little girl inside. For that, she was prepared to pay the price of living on without her family as long as she fought for what was morally right.