My Life Beyond Bullying

Book excerpt: Inspired by the memoirs of Ralph M.’s experience with bullying, My Life Beyond Bullying: Stories from Mayo Clinic Patients uses 36 pages of full illustrations to tell the true story of how kids view friendships, bullying, and challenging social situations. When some kids at Alex’s new school start bullying him, he just wants to escape. He feels guilty and stressed about what’s happening. But what can he do? The challenges Alex experienced are common. Still, there are important steps you can take when you or someone you know is being bullied. Find out how Alex gets help and discovers his life beyond bullying. Children’s voices are rarely heard amid the complexity of modern medicine. That's why every story in the My Life Beyond series stems from the imagination and experience of a Mayo Clinic patient. The books were developed through collaboration between these patients, Mayo Clinic physicians and author-illustrator Hey Gee. Through this unique lens of inspiring real-life experiences, the series explores how children view illness, challenges and recovery. As kids go through adolescence, they’re likely to experience some form of bullying. Inspired by Ralph M.’s experience with bullying, Bullying: True Stories from Mayo Clinic Patients uses 40 pages of full illustrations to provide an approachable look at improving mental health and emotional happiness when facing childhood bullies. The “My Life Beyond” graphic novel book series is published in collaboration with Fondation Ipsen.