At its heart, Reservations for Nine is both a memoir and a medical journey — a deeply personal account of one family’s years-long battle with cancer. Written by George Beauregard, a physician and father, the book centers on his 29-year-old son Patrick’s shocking diagnosis of stage 4 colon cancer, an illness that has become an increasingly common and deeply troubling reality for young adults.
Beauregard brings to this story not only the experience of a parent and a physician, but also of a cancer patient himself. In 2005, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Though he recovered, that experience reshaped his view of medicine, mortality, and his role as both caregiver and clinician. His perspective as a survivor lends this memoir a rare emotional and professional depth.
Over the course of three years, readers follow the Beauregard family through the emotional and medical rollercoaster of treatment, hope, setbacks, and ultimately, loss. Patrick fought with strength and faith, and his family surrounded him with unwavering love. The book ends with one victory and one unimaginable tragedy — and yet, it’s told with such grace, clarity, and heart that you come away feeling more connected to life, not less.
The Beauregards are a tight-knit, athletic, and faith-filled family. George and his wife Kathy raised four children: Daniel, Patrick, Kaylin and Brendan. Patrick’s wife Amanda, Dan’s wife Melissa and Paul, Kaylin’s husband are also lovingly included in the family’s story. It’s clear from the beginning that theirs is a family built on showing up, on joy, and on facing hardship together.
As Beauregard writes, “When cancer strikes, everyone in the family is touched.” That simple line echoes throughout the book. Cancer isn’t just a medical diagnosis — it becomes a constant presence, shifting the weight of each day. And yet, what shines most in this story is not the disease, but the love and strength that surround it.
For readers drawn to the medical details, the book includes clear and compassionate explanations of diagnoses and treatments, delivered in language that is both accessible and precise. And woven throughout is Patrick’s unwavering Catholic faith. A particularly resonant quote comes from a homily inspired by Padre Pio: “Pray, hope, and don’t worry.” This line became a mantra for the family, grounding them during the hardest moments of Patrick’s illness.
Despite its heavy themes, Reservations for Nine isn’t weighed down by sadness. It’s a tribute — to Patrick, to family, to faith, and to the legacy of love that carries on. It invites us to reflect on the “dash” — the line between a person’s birth and death — and how it represents everything that truly matters.
This book is for anyone who has sat beside a hospital bed, carried the weight of someone else’s pain, or searched for meaning in the middle of a storm. It’s about showing up for each other, even when it’s hard. And it’s about holding onto joy, even in the face of heartbreak.
A Real-Time Reminder
The day I finished Reservations for Nine was also Boston Marathon Monday. I had been watching for Brendan — a former coworker — who was running to raise money for cancer research. As the marathon wore on, most runners had already passed, and the streets were being cleaned up when Brendan finally arrived at our JAF water stop at mile 17.5. He was in visible pain, could barely speak, and still had a long way to go.
That’s when Jen Andruzzi, co-founder of JAF — a passionate advocate for cancer patients who had already worked the water stop since the early morning — stepped in. She didn’t just encourage Brendan; she ran alongside him. She’s completed the marathon herself multiple times, but this moment, watching the two of them crest the hill together, was a quiet example of true leadership.
That image — someone showing up when it matters most — stayed with me. And it felt like the perfect reflection of what Reservations for Nine is really about.
– Denise Mowles, Senior Manager of Programs