KatieB Posted February 23, 2006 Share Posted February 23, 2006 I happened upon a show on the Travel Channel about breast cancer survivors who celebrated their 5 year anniversary by taking a trip together to Costa Rica. It was the Travel Channel so of course much of it was about the country and it's attractions- but it also loosly followed these three young ladies who were survivors, phone buddies, who never met in person until this trip to celebrate their 5 years of survival. What I found interesting is what one of the breast cancer survivors said about her dx. I am perplexed by it and just wanted to throw this out there to see what you guys think. She said, thru tears- Cancer is not an "invader". It is a "traitor". It's your own body turning against you. (I agree) She goes on... I wasn't taking care of my body, and this is what happened to me. This is my wake up call to take better care of myself.... (perplexion...sets in here for me) Maybe because I hold alot of information, and maybe due to the fact that Lung Cancer and organizations like ours are fighting stigmas associated with this disease...maybe, that is why I find so much wrong with what she said. Of course it is her opinion, and her life, so she is entitled and justified to whatever views she holds....but just hearing her say that bothered me. She didn't deserve her cancer, whether she ate red meat, or didn't drink enough water, or hadn't breastfed or birthed children or WHATEVER she thinks she didn't do right, she didn't deserve her cancer. And I hate thinking she feels that way. We've lost so many people in the 3 1/2 years that this website has been active. NONE of them deserved to die. No one is perfect, and some people abuse their bodies more than others- some afflictions and disease can directly be linked to something someone did: smoking causes many diseases and health risks- eating disorders can lead to heart disease, kidney and liver failuer- Drug addicts can overdose, leading to organ failure and death.. I can go on, but you know where I am going with this. FLIP SIDE...There are MANY people who have done NONE of those things and they still have cancer.... So it is my opinion that that line of thinking, (blame and guilt) hinders awareness and research. Some people conclude that if you eliminated health risks and unhealthy behaviors, there would be no disease...that's just not true is it? Don't know where I'm going with this exactly...I just know that my heart hurt for that lady (probably my age or younger) who was blamming herself for her cancer on national televison, and perpetuating the stigma that you can't get cancer unless you "do something" to deserve it, perpetuating to the general audience that there might not be such a need for research and treatment options if people would just "live right". That's why there are so few $$ for lung cancer research. THANK YOU for letting me get this off my mind. Am interested to see your opinions as well. God bless those ladies and EVERYONE touched by cancer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Deb and I both smoked and did not really TAKE CARE Of ourselves. We knew the risk of smoking Deb got cancer and I helped her fight every day and every way. A friend of ours who doesn't smoke or drink and does quite a bit to TAKE CARE of herself was diagnosed so early she actually had her entire tumour removed surgically and is doing Great. Her sister in SCotland is not doing so well in her Battle with Lung Cancer. No one deserves this disease. I was told By Debs ONC 1 time that everyone has cancer cells but until they get together and start to reproduce, You do not have cancer per say. No one deserves to go throught this battle.Thanks Randy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 There are people who eat right, exercise right, do all the right things in able to live a happy and healthy life. Then Bang, they die of a heart attack or colon cancer, or what ever. Like my Pulm Doc said several years ago. " If everyone in this world quit smoking today, we would STILL have people be diagnosed with Lung Cancer 50+ years from now." I think some people feel a sense of (would the word be) comfort to have a blame factor for cancer? They say that breast cancer is in the Gene. I wonder how many women would blame there mothers or grandmothers if they got breast cancer?!?! My mother, dad and sister all got and died of Lung Cancer and I don't blame any of them for my lung cancer. Different strokes for different folks. I think that a lot of cancer patients at the begining of there journey's say a lot of things, but as time goes on they tend to change there way of thinking about there disease. I know I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaze100 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Hi Katie, I couldn't agree with you more. I'm not sure why some people get cancer and some don't, but the ones who don't have it (yet) seem to think that's because they're doing something right. Boy are they in for a shock one day. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerbil runner Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 I don't think anyone can truly say they've never done something which they KNEW would put them at risk. Heck, we all travel in cars, don't we? Living with risk is necessary. We all draw the line somewhere different when it comes to "acceptable" risks. If we set up methadone clinics for drug addicts, why don't we support research for lung cancer?! (Not to say addicts don't deserve help. They sure do - and so do smokers/former smokers/non-smokers who have lc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j ross Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Barry never drank never smoked and has led a completely blameless life - so where did lc come from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie22 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 We all "know" that smoking isn't good for you--breathing in gas fumes, cleaning products and a lot of things are not "good" for you. People just need something to blame to make themselves feel better. My mom quit smoking when she was dx. I am sure it helps her with her treatments. I am sooooo sick of people asking "does she smoke". What does it matter. She still has lung cancer-does that mean that now you will blame her for getting this disease? Does it change peoples attitude. You bet it does. I always share with people what her DR. shared with us on her last day of radiation "Anyone of us can be walking around with this same thing, we just don't know it yet. Whether we smoke or not." That really shuts people up. It's kinda funny to watch their expression and then they change the subject. I just had to share my feelings. Connie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaze100 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 Hi Connie, So many people asked me that too, "Did you smoke?" and when I say "No, I've never smoked" then their whole attitude changes...."You poor dear, I didn't think such a think was possible. Are you sure you didn't smoke?" So for whatever reason we are the unlucky ones who got LC. I know of a 3-pack/dayer out there still going strong at age 80, but his secretary of 20 years who never smoked was just dx'd last month. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie22 Posted February 24, 2006 Share Posted February 24, 2006 I totally agree with you Barb. It's one of those things that is hard to explain, why some that do smoke never gets it and then those that never smoke do get it. Connie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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