Cancer

Some thoughts on Cancer

Most of us know someone who has had cancer, or has cancer or who has died of cancer. It is an insidious disease. It is indiscriminate and it is a life altering challenge, not only for those diagnosed with its various forms, but also for the family and friends of those afflicted.

We hear, almost too frequently of friends, family, celebrities who have been diagnosed with some type or form of cancer and we all have that little gulp of dry swallowing that wishes them well in their struggle.

Whenever those kinds of announcements come fourth, it reminds all of us of our vulnerability. Somehow we think the famous or the celebrity, or our family or friends as immune to disease because they have a history of wellness or in the case of celebrities, appear to have everything. The truth is that illness is the common denominator of all humans for we are finite beings.

What every cancer, every disease says to everyone of us, is that life is precious and fragile and fleeting and that all of us are vulnerable and maybe some of the things we call important are not really.

Without pushing the envelope of sympathy, for that solves or comforts nothing, I had a son who died of brain cancer. As a parent there were a lot of things that become unimportant very quickly.