It’s Not about Perfect

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What to expect

"When the odds were against me, I was always at my best."

When she retired at age nineteen, Shannon Miller did so as one of the most recognizable gymnasts in the country. The winner of seven Olympic medals and the most decorated gymnast, male or female, in US history, Shannon tells a story of surviving and thriving. A shy, rambunctious girl raised in Oklahoma, Shannon fell in love with gymnastics at a young age and fought her way to the top.

In 1992 she won five Olympic medals after breaking her elbow in a training accident just months prior to the Games. Then, in 1996, a doctor advised her to retire immediately or face dire consequences if she chose to compete on her injured wrist. Undeterred, Shannon endured the pain and led her team, the "Magnificent Seven," to the first Olympic team gold medal for the United States in gymnastics. She followed up as the first American to win gold on the balance beam.

Equally intense, heroic, and gratifying is the story of her brutal but successful battle with ovarian cancer, a disease from which fewer than fifty percent survive. Relying on her faith and hard-learned perseverance, Shannon battled through surgery and major chemotherapy to emerge on the other side with a miracle baby girl.

Her story of trial, triumph, and life after cancer reminds us all that it's life's bumps and bruises that reveal our character. From early on in her career, Shannon knew that life wasn't about perfection. In this incredible and inspirational tale, Shannon speaks out so as to be seen and heard by thousands as a beacon of hope.

Critics Review

  • “Shannon Miller is a champion both on and off the
    mat. She is not only one of the greatest gymnasts in the history of the sport,
    she is a great person. Her courage to win as a gymnast shines through just as
    it did in her battle against cancer. Through and through, Shannon is not only a
    winner but a friend as well.”

    Mary Lou Retton, Women's All-Around Olympic Champion

  • “I have had the pleasure and privilege of knowing
    Shannon Miller as an Olympic teammate and a fellow mom. Shannon’s strength and
    perseverance to conquer any mountain in life are something to be
    admired.”

    Summer Sanders, two-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer

  • “Shannon Miller has displayed strength, character,
    and perseverance her entire life. These traits turned her into an Olympic
    Champion and then helped her beat cancer. In It’s Not about Perfect she shares how the traits that have shaped
    her life can translate into success in all walks of life.”

    Dan Jansen, Olympic gold medalist speed skater

  • “Shannon Miller’s strength and perseverance in both
    her sport and cancer battle is something to be admired as it can be applied to
    conquering any mountain in life.”

    Bonnie Blair, Olympic speed skater

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