May 22 2008
Does Cancer Have to be a Death Sentence?
Cancer? Well, it’s one of those good news/bad news deals, isn’t it?
The bad news is one in three of us is going to become intimately acquainted with cancer leading to a lifelong relationship.
The good news is not to worry if you don’t get on as that ‘lifelong’ friendship won’t actually last that long!
Isn’t there any way to avoid befriending such a disagreeable character?
Let’s see, you can eat healthily, avoid excess in… well, everything, you can exercise, make all manner of lifestyle changes, but there’s no guarantee. Especially as no amount of bran, jogging, or abstinence will ever change your genes.
Bottom line?
Even the most clean-living of us could get a tumour and die within just a few months.
Of course, should the worst happen, most of us will dash to our doctor expecting the miracle that is modern medicine to save us. But we all know there are no guarantees there, too, don’t we?
But why? The war on cancer has been raging for decades. Why does it still kill millions of us every year?
- Is it that the pharmaceutical giants make a killing from the long-term sick but bugger all from the cured?
- Could be.
- Is it that governments see death as an excellent way to cull the ageing, less productive members of society, so reducing their overheads?
- Could be.
- Or is it that our resources don’t always help those truly in need but help those who should actually help themselves?
- Could be.
Yep, if you develop cancer don’t assume you have a right to specialist doctors and the best drugs money can buy.
Why not? See for yourself -
Enough?
Sadly, Britain’s free National Health Service (NHS) simply can’t afford many hellishly expensive cancer treatments. (If you have health insurance have you checked for ‘get out’ clauses commonly citing ‘prolonged’ illness, i.e. ‘costly’ illness, as a reason to end your cover.)
So there’s no money. We’re all screwed!
Well… there is money, but - and it’s a BIG ‘but’ - we just don’t like to point out the glaringly obvious because the truth leaves an unsavoury taste in your mouth at times.
Last week, tuning in to watch one TV show I caught the end of another. I think the title kinda gives its bearing away - ‘Half Ton Dad’.
Yep, one man weighs half a ton!?
What puzzles me is what thought process you have to go through before something clicks and you finally think, “Jees, I’m a real lard-ass!”
Now, I’m no psychology guru, but for me that ‘click’ would be some point between struggling to find clothes that fit and struggling to wipe my own butt.
But then I must be some kinda Einstein because it doesn’t click for some people until a little later.
Take the half ton dad from Texas, USA. At just 73 stone (1022lbs; 464kg), for him to leave the house to receive treatment it took one of the walls to be removed and a dozen burly firefighters to carry him out. Wonder if it clicked then?
(In case you’re struggling to picture 73 stone, imagine FOUR Arnold Schwarzeneggers strapped to you. Kinda big, huh?)
And of course, McDonald’s, Burger King, Dominos were the usual suspects here. Not the guy who craved them, bought them, stuffed them in his mouth.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident.
- Just as someone cramming little white sticks into his mouth and setting them alight is not isolated.
- Just as someone downing enough alcohol every week to pickle an elephant is not isolated.
- Just as someone gorging himself on ‘herbal exports’ from Colombia or Afghanistan is not isolated.
Not that we should start pointing fingers. It’s not their fault if they’re ignorant of the consequences of ‘over indulgence’, the poor things.
- Because eating so much you can’t fit through a standard doorway shouldn’t start alarm bells ringing.
- Because main-lining chemicals you buy from a guy in an alley shouldn’t start alarm bells ringing.
- Because waking up with shakes so bad only another drink stops them shouldn’t start alarm bells ringing.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not some tea-total, health nut.
I occasionally enjoy a McDonald’s. Occasionally enjoy a gallon of beer with friends. And drugs? Hey, I went to university… So why aren’t I a smack-shooting, lush on first name terms with all my local McDonald’s staff?
It’s called taking responsibility for your own life.
So if some people won’t say ‘no’, won’t act responsibly, won’t resist temptation, what right do they have to leach irreplaceable resources from others?
Oh, I can hear people everywhere screaming at their PCs, “Steve, you can’t be talking about denying people treatment! You might as well put a gun to their head, you jerk!”
Well, excuse me, but isn’t that already happening? By not treating someone on the grounds of expense, we ARE putting guns to their heads. And we’re doing it regularly!
- So shouldn’t we talk about it?
- Shouldn’t we bring it out into the open?
- Shouldn’t we demand to know the criteria upon which some people are judged worthy of treatment, worthy of life, while others are judged worthy only of death?
- Shouldn’t we have the right to know what our taxes and health insurance premiums are being spent on?
At least give us a comparison chart so we can see what OUR money is paying for:
- Can we treat three super-obese people for every mother with breast cancer we let die?
- Can we save two alcoholics for every grandma we let be gnawed away by tumours?
- Can we wean four junkies off their habits for every child with leukemia we give up on?
Of course, there’s no guarantee the fatty won’t binge again, the lush won’t drink, the junkie won’t fly… but the mother, the grandma, the kid will be long dead so there’ll be no one to complain. No loose ends. Nice and tidy.
But isn’t there anything we can do? Anything that can haul us out of the dire situation of there simply being not enough money to treat everyone? Is there no hope?
Oh, there’s always hope. Always options. We can:
- Pray people act responsibly so reducing wastage of limited resources.
- Pray the government assigns extra funding for health services.
- Pray global corporations put people’s health before profits.
- Pray.
Now, I’m not a religious guy, but I know which one my money is on!
So go. See. Feel. Live.
Steve
P.S. If you like my blog - the passion, the philosophy - you’ll absolutely love my novel ‘What if…?’. Please click here to check it out.
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