The Privacy of Cancer

Only if I thought that it could help others fight cancer, or learn something of value. If it was just a way to draw attention to the school, then no. Cancer is everyone's disease, because with it affecting 25% or more of the population ,there isn't anyone not going have an immediate member of their family get it.

There are natural cures for cancer, but they face a tremenous task of fighting the FDA and the pharmaceutical companies for the right to be recognized. The fight has been going on since the 50's. It isn't over yet.

I would get a proof of the article before giving permission, if I were you.

Couldn't agree with you more. The pharmaceutical fat cats get rich at the expence of lives...where's the humanity? Cancer has touched us all in some way.

When I was a kid (40 years ago) my elders never talked openly about many medical problems including cancer. I thought it strange, as, after all it's only a family of diseases and although there are many triggers, some people just get it and of that group some die and some live, there's no shame or stigma either way

We're engineers, and as a group should try to be dispassionate about the natural world. Things, both good and bad, happen everyday and as rational people we try to understand both and develop solutions for the things that need to be changed.

Of course, dispassionate doesn't mean you don't care.

Think of the powerful help your example could be to the people at school who will get cancer in the future.

Cancer, like most diseases can be cured better if the patient really believes in themselves and their ability to win the fight.

I often mention my niece who was given days to live - at the age of 4 years - because of widespread cancer. She had the good fortune to live in Paris where they have the foremost research centre hospital for childrens cancer in Europe.

She is now in her twenties and completely cured, a brilliant girl, and an inspiration to so many.

If people survive cancer they should discuss it, to reduce the fear and increase the optimism.

I would be cautious about who I told because of the experience of someone I knew who had a cancerous brain tumour removed. Although she fully recovered, some people treated her as though she had some sort of infectious disease. There are many bitter & twisted people in the world who like to target anyone who is different to the norm.

I would agree with the cautious approach through personal experience. When my son was 7 he was treated for Leukaemia. Apart from a few close friends, most of our acquaintances blanked us. My wifes brother told us several years later that he lived in fear of catching it!

Despite the fact that a quarter or so of people fall for cancer there is still so much ignorance related to the conditions.

By the way, my son survived with the help of a bone marrow transplant from his sister. However, due most probably to the radiation received as part of his treatment, he has had a (benign) brain tumour removed just this year. We ourselves were surprised at how common this condition is.

My grandson had a rhabdo-myo-sarcoma(sp) in the nasal cavity at age 10. He is now 26, a graduate of a major university. It is something that he treats as a matter of fact of the past. Currently have the last of several minor plastic surgeries to correct effects of radiation damage to facial features.

Any article, if written and/or published should be in the same 'matter of fact' tone. IOW don't sensationalize it.

1. Collaborate with the paper's author so as to incorporate your point of view. Devise a way to proof-read the final draft.

2. Cancer survivors are more common than one often realizes. Appropriate publicizing of one's experiences will aid in making the public aware.

3. As a survivor of colon cancer(surgery and chemo-therapy), I practice what I preach, through discussions with co-workers and friends. One is not "at fault" for having had cancer. Keep in mind that one is never "cured", but will always be "in remission".

GOOD LUCK!

Edalder,

As to the remission aspect, that is just what the medical establishement would have you believe. The truth is evidenced by a tribe of people in northern pakistan, called the Hunzas. This tribe lived cancer free for 900 years... They composted every organic aspect of their lives, use for the hand-made graduated soil systems, in which they grew fruit trees, especially apricot trees, of which, the seed of the apricot was the most prized. They were taught how to do all this by the ancient 'gods'

Apricot kernels are the highest source of natural nitrilosides, otherwise known as vitamin B17. Cancer is a vitamin deficiency disease, just like scurvy, and it does have a cure. There is much more supporting information available.. just not from the medical establishment. There are more people making a living from cancer than are dying from it.

You can buy the organic kernels at www.nu-gen.com

and find the information in a book called "World Without Cancer" at www.realityzone.com.

I have seen too many close friends and family die of cancer nearly every one because of tobacco. Lung cancer is not nice. I would say that it is down to the individual and how they want to handle the given situation there are no real rules to say what is best in any given circumstance.

When people develop cancer, there is a statistical probability that some survive or live longer than average and that some go the other way. In such a time of stress it's common for people to try anything to improve their odds including Apricot kernels, various Gods, positive attitude, cosmic energy etc.

Among the survivors there are many anecdotes about amazing recoveries (which is great)Unfortunately these infallible cures never look as good when proper studies (that include all the original patients) are done. Of course this could also be the result of a global conspiracy.

As engineers we need to look at the data dispassionately and see what actually works. In the end it's the technique that brings the best results

Having survived prostate cancer a year ago (so far so good) I do think there is a stigma attached to any major disease. There is nothing shameful in keeping your medical history private, but once revealed, the cat is out of the bag. Comments ranging from "good for you" to uncomfortable silence all indicate the same feeling: you are not "normal" anymore.

Don't you think it might effect your employment prospects?

Go ahead and do it, but have them write it using a pseudonym... They don't have to write the article using "John Schwartz" or whatever your real name might be... SHOOT!! They don't even have to use names at all if they are proficient in journalism.

My mom died of multiple myloma... at 72. She underwent the eldest bone marrow transplant ever tried. They also used thalydomide on her... to no avail. But, with her loss, the medical community was able to learn more about the disease, especially in geriatric patients.

Bill