Snowflake Posted May 25, 2004 Share Posted May 25, 2004 Dear Ms. LaTour, Please let me extend a welcome to our site. We offer a haven of support and information to those touched by lung cancer directly and indirectly. Information on treatment is shared, side effects are compared and compassion is given to those at the end of their journey or picking up the pieces after someone has gone on. We are many different people, many different voices with differing opinions fighting a common enemy. I have read your magazine and have found a LOT of information on all kinds of cancer, places to call for support and websites to visit. I look forward to my issue arriving so I can read it cover to cover - the edition that contained the information on Pancreatic Cancer was passed on to a friend at work whose parents BOTH died of the disease. She was interested in ANYTHING regarding research and breakthroughs. I read all the articles, even those that do not pertain to my particular cancer. I appreciate you taking the time to visit our site and post a message. I can understand the frustration of those posting regarding the First Annual CURE Patient & Survivor Forum. I believe we ALL want good news, we all want to hear there is a cure - and some day, there will be. I am hoping that you will receive feedback on the pluses and deltas from your attendees and the SECOND forum will be better than the first. I would think that you would strive to get rid of the "deserving victim" by not beginning a session on lung cancer with the EVIL of smoking. According to statistics, the highest climbing group of new lung cancers after smokers and previous smokers are never-smokers that are young women. Generalizations that lung cancer is ONLY a smokers' disease and that the patients "deserve" what they have for ever lighting up is keeping the race for a cure in the Dark Ages. Public misconceptions are killing us - we NEED the message to be that ANYONE can get lung cancer. Please, do not be a stranger. We need a light to shine on this disease, lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer among men AND women, higher than breast, prostate and colon cancer combined. The statistics are dreary, the journey fraught with demons, but the Hope still burns in all of us. Thank you for your time and attention, Rebecca S. aka Snowflake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea Posted May 25, 2004 Share Posted May 25, 2004 Dear Ms. LaTour, I would also like to welcome you to our website. As Becky beautifully said, we are all filled with Hope and have a common ground--we want to find a cure for lung cancer! I read your magazine for the first time last week and loved it. I really hope that you come back often and work with us to spead the word about this wonderful website and our determination to find a CURE. Thank you, Andrea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Cheryl- Posted May 25, 2004 Share Posted May 25, 2004 Dear Kathy LaTour, Do you recall the doctor telling you "Well, I am sorry Mrs. LaTour, but the results of the tests confirm you have cancer." Now imagine if you will, that diagnosis as not being breast cancer,but lung cancer, And the chances for survival aren't 80%, but less than 13% of living beyond two years. Then you have to deal with the stigma of "Did you smoke?" Do people ask women with cervical cancer,,,"did practice safe sex?" What about someone with liver cancer "Were you an alcholic?" Most doctors look at you as if you are dead already- no hope for you- you got lung cancer, we have no cures for that disease. Doctors avoid answering our questions , because the have no answers. Kathy I listened to your presentation and was inspired and moved. I went to this forum looking for answers, trying to find hope. after attending the breakout session on LC, I left scared and depressed. No answers were offered, no encouragement, no hope for a future at all. I felt doctors look beyond us, as if we weren't there, I am the face of lung cancer, do not look away. Know my fear and my sadness. Help us find a cure. Help us save our mother, fathers, brothers,wife's, children. This disease knows now boundaries. It is quit a diverse group of people. Please here our prayes an help us. Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted May 25, 2004 Share Posted May 25, 2004 Dear Kathy LaTour, I'm not new to this site, but I don't post nearly as much as I should. That being said, I again must comment on your function held last weekend. My husband has lung cancer. Did he smoke, yes. My mother died of lung cancer. Did she smoke? Never. Cancer does not discriminate. It affects the young, the old, the rich, and the poor. Cancer is a something that we never want to hear that we have, but we do hear those words. Does it really matter what we did or didn't do during our life, the bottom line is we have cancer, or our loved one has cancer. Either way you look at it the result is the same - everyone is in for the fight of their life, or should I say "the fight for their life". Please take your blinders off and look at us as human beings, not numbers in a text book. We are here and we need your help. We have lost many wonderful family members here on the website. How many lives must be lost before you and the rest of the world realize that no one is immuned from getting lung cancer. Help us now. Why make our fight even harder. Thank you, Bonnie and Howard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathy Posted May 25, 2004 Share Posted May 25, 2004 Dear Ms. LaTour, I would like to welcome you as well to a place that is filled with one of the most diverse group of people that were brought together by a common bond.. We are all very different because LC doesnt care who it strikes, contrary to what many believe. All anyone wants here is for LC to be recognized for what it is, so that it gets the funds and awareness that could help save lives.. Although its to late for my precious dad, who fought until his last breath, it may not be for the many here who are fighting with all the strength they have.. With all due respect and not sounding too idealistic, one person can make a difference or at the very least send us down the right path.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MO_Sugar Posted May 25, 2004 Share Posted May 25, 2004 I welcome you also to what has become the BEST site for lung cancer on the net. We share our ups, downs and sideways moments with each other. We laugh and cry together, sometimes on the same day. We offer compassion and understanding to the new members as we have "Been there, done that and bought the Tee-shirt". We cover all forms of lung cancer and can usually offer information regarding treatment options as he have gone through them. In effect, we are family, and we fight for each other. There is nothing worse than a Dr. saying "You have 6 months", how the he** do they know that?? I was gived 5 - 8 month when I was dx'd. Guess I have been dead for 4 months now by those statistics. It is so much better if the Dr.'s. have a positive attitude when speaking with patients as there are 2 ways to take a dx of cancer: 1: You can lay down and let the cancer do what it wants in which case you will have a limited life span. 2: You can FIGHT the cancer with everything available to you in which case you have a better chance of getting in to remission or at least reaching stability. I and most of the members have choosen to FIGHT. Some have choosen to not go through the chemo/radiation and to live the best life they can. It has to be a personal decision though, it can't come from a Dr! In any case, please feel free to contact Rick, KatieB or any of us if you would like more information. God Bless, MO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Cheryl- Posted May 26, 2004 Share Posted May 26, 2004 I am sending this open letter directly to Cure since (as K.LaTour stated, she doesn't want to carry on a dialogue with the Board)....BIG MISTAKE!! In her response she pitches the idea for everyone to come to next years convention...not a word about what she could do to help out this Board. That alone speaks volumes. -Jack- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry Posted May 26, 2004 Share Posted May 26, 2004 Just want to say that almost every time an issue of that magazine comes out, there are posts on here about how great the articles are or some reference to information in the magazine. I appreciated the issue they did on Lung Cancer, and we had a lot of posts on here about that (good and bad). I also thought the article on fatique was great in the last issue. I did not attend the convention so I can't comment on that. I just know that ever since I've read that magazine I've thought how great it would be if this site could be referenced in it somehow for lung cancer patients to find. I hope that's still possible some day. Rochelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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