the freedom of choice....

Cancer n. Any of various malignant neoplasms characterized by the proliferation of anaplastic cells that tend to invade surrounding tissue and metastasize to new body sites.

Re•search n. Scholarly or scientific investigation or inquiry

Cure n. Restoration of health; recovery from disease

Propagandist n : A person who disseminates messages calculated to assist some cause

Proliferation v. To increase or spread at a rapid rate

Choice n. The power, right, or liberty to choose

My company is entering a Relay for Life team to raise money for cancer research. They want employees to participate and I was asked by several colleagues what I was going to do…would I run, just raise money etc. The assumption was that I, of course, would do something. Why is it that people assume that I will be doing something.

Do we as a society feel we NEED to donate to the cancer society b/c the propagandists say so…b/c that’s the cause du jour… b/c – jeez, uhmm, why?? B/c we all want to wear the pink ribbon...b/c it may help…b/c both my parents had cancer? Yes I’m a cynic and I think we might possibly, I know this will be a stretch for some, but we might just be part of a systematic proliferation of a doctrine. Given a choice, how many people will donate to the black ribbon campaign vs. the pink ribbon campaign. Oh sorry – you don’t know what the black ribbon campaign is…it’s not one of the 45 plastic bracelets you are wearing? Shhh FYI – the black ribbon is for Melanoma (alterative colour is orange), mourning, primary bilary cirrhosis and/or gang prevention – your choice. Aren’t we democratic?

In any case - my response to my colleagues has been that “I don’t want to” (gasp). I just don’t want to and it’s as simple as that. They looked at me with disbelief – at which point I told them I had to go have a smoke and left irritated b/c I had to explain why I don’t want to donate to a cause that I choose not to (btw – I am now 7 days smoke-free).

I understand that 2 in 5 people will get cancer. I understand that I could be one of those 2 people who will get cancer. I understand that over the next 20 years, new cancer cases will increase by 60%. What I also understand is that there is no cure. I understand that in the last fiscal year $155M was donated to the Canadian Cancer Society. I understand that $44M was directed to fund “excellent research”. I understand that $44M of $155M is 28%. I understand that there is no cure.

I know I know advancements have been made, people can live longer who previously would have died, greater care is apparently available and this is all great…but have YOU lived with cancer to really know how great this is or are you part of the population that assumes living longer w/ cancer is a better alternative to quickly dying…cure the damn thing...isn’t cancer just bad cells multiplying? We can travel to space, we have unraveled the human gene sequence), women can give birth in their 60’s to healthy babies…but we can’t cure the big C.

About 2 years ago, I had a friend say this very same thing to me – that she wasn’t going to donate b/c after all of the donations why haven’t they found a cure. I was mortified that I actually knew someone that would think like this…but now I’m not so sure she is wrong.

I wonder if it is so far out of the realm of possibility to imagine why there is no cure…is it so hard to believe that if they found a cure…well then who would donate to the cause?

If you do give to the cause – good for you…and I’ll pray to all of the gods that you never need to benefit from your donation…but remember just because it’s your choice don’t assume it’s mine.