Damn You, Cancer

You took my mother-in-law when I was in my twenties. Then you took my grandfather less than a year later. Then, as a doctor, I watched you take countless children, teenagers, young people, and old people. I’ve witnessed firsthand how ruthless you can be, how you love to prey upon the people who are most gentle and kind, the ones who aren’t fighters, the ones who resign to you and let you sweep them away like a rogue wave on a surfer’s beach. But you don’t stop there. No. You go after the fighters too, only you make them suffer more. You take them too — only you take them kicking and screaming.

Either way, you’re vicious.

You don’t look back. Your only goal is to win. And way too often, you do.

You took my father when he was barely 60. You swept through him from diagnosis to death in three short months. And you never apologized for taking him from me only two weeks after my daughter was born, when my dog had just died and my brother was in the ICU in liver failure.

You took Dad’s best friend when she was way too young. You took Mom’s best friend when she was even younger. Because of you, I had a year I called my “Four Funerals and a Wedding” year.

My friend Kris Carr is fighting against you (and winning! Cancer, you sly beast- you’ll never get her. Keep your filthy hands off my friend.) But now you’re back at it, you evil troll. Last month, you struck my friend, a man my age with young children and a wife who’s not ready to lose him. Then on Mother’s Day, you lashed out at another friend, who has four young children. And today, I just found out you’re attacking another dear friend. Three strikes against friends in their forties in one month is pushing it, cancer. I’ve had it. I’m about to blow.

I melted down today, cancer.

Three times, including right before I was supposed to go on stage to give a talk. The echo of your voice whispered in my ear and said, “I’m gonna take her and there’s nothing you can do about it” — and I want to scream. I want to grab you by the neck and thrash you around until you’re as lifeless as the victims you attack. I want to silence you. I want you to suffer the way you make them suffer. I want you to plead for mercy.

I don’t get angry very often, cancer. In fact, I should probably get angry more often. But this time, you’ve crossed the line, so I’m warning you.

I’m giving you two choices. I’ll ask you kindly to leave my people alone. Just turn around now and walk the other way, and no one else will get hurt.

But if you insist upon sticking around and blowing off bombs, you’ve been forewarned. I’m declaring war on you. And this time, I’m taking you down.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Mariana C.

9:37PM PDT on Jun 7, 2011

Hi Lissa,

I chanced upon your article and it hit home.

I just lost my dad a month ago to esophageal cancer after two months of his diagnosis. The tumor went to his spinal column and left him paralized three weeks before he died. He was 66 years old. I saw him die of respiratory failure in front of my eyes. The next day my thirteen year old dog walked out of the house unnoticed. She had an enlarged heart and was on medication. I looked everywhere for her, but she disappeared.

I hate what the disease did in spite of my father's will to live. I hate how it left him paralized and robbed him of dignity and peace.

I'm sorry about your friends' diagnosis and hope they will win this fight. There have been too many victims already.

Hugs,
Mariana

June 7
send a green star

Nefertmu I.

5:18PM PDT on Jun 4, 2011

I just thought of another thing for cancer. This is not a cure for cancer, but it does cure lots of other things like back pain, addictions, unhealthy emotional states, gets rid of stress, anger, sorrow, depression. It's called Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). You can google it on youtube ("emotional freedom technique demonstration") or go to their homepage where they have tons of case histories of EFT in action:
www.eftuniverse.com
Best,
Nefert-tmu

June 4
send a green star

caterina c.

2:05PM PDT on Jun 2, 2011

June 2
send a green star

Lorna M.

8:33AM PDT on Jun 2, 2011

This is a toxic planet - that's why cancer is running rampant. Cancer is the price we are paying for environmental pollution and polluting our bodies with artificial foods.

Theresa K.

6:33AM PDT on Jun 2, 2011

"You took my father when he was barely 60. You swept through him from diagnosis to death in three short months." - That's how it was for me, too. My dad wasn't even 40 yet and cancer destroyed him in just 3 months. It's a horrible disease and I hope to god we don't destroy the planet before she gives us a cure.

Beba H.

1:21AM PDT on Jun 2, 2011

Doing a regular detox because of heavy metals in drinking water from chem trails and in general in very important--I also only drink spring water. Cilantro is a good heavy metal detox to include in your diet. Also Essiac can be found in most health food stores and is said to be effective for Cancer --also a vegetarian diet with vegetables and fruits filled with antioxidents and vitamins. A natural diet with no meat.

Mrs S.

12:47AM PDT on Jun 2, 2011

Cancer is terrible, but I believe that everything and everyone is here for a reason, so I'm sure cancer is here to teach us something or enrich our lives in someway. Yes, it took my aunt away, but it taught me to appreciate people who are in my life before its too late.

HELEN V.

8:32PM PDT on Jun 1, 2011

A lot has been done for cancer which is not known. In fact a great deal research has not been published and deliberately kept secret. For those interested to see some this research- check out the website below - it concerns a gifted doctor who had very untimely death and whose inventions are still being used today.

http://www.royal-rife.com/

June 1
send a green star

8:09PM PDT on Jun 1, 2011

No reason to despair, I know of at least two organizations that cure cancer, yes cure cancer, not treat cancer. The first one is www.thefigtreeonline.com. In '87 they were taken to court by the state of New York for making false claims and practicing medicine without a license (the advertisements said that they cured AIDS, herpes, cancer, lupus, sickle cell, diabetes, etc). Out of over 2,000 other herbalists and alternative medical practitioners sued by the state that year, they were the only one to win their case. They had to bring one person for every disease that could be documented having their disease eradicated; they did that and more. When it came to AIDS, they had 79 people I believe, including one who flew in from Italy to testify.
The 2nd organization I know of is Ankhasta Natural Healing (http://www.ankhkasta.org/). They're not so good when it comes to calling you back, so some persistence and patience will be called for, but their professionalism when it comes to healing is unsurpassed. They have organic herbs to treat over 500 illnesses (including some that are unknown by the modern medical system).
I hope this leaves you with some tools with which to fight. I won't say it's never too late to fight and win because sometimes it is, but I will say that the herbal products from these two groups are extremely potent, alkaline, organic herbs that will get eliminate the poisons from the body. All the best.

Craig Z.

7:15PM PDT on Jun 1, 2011

I agree that cancer is a brutal disease. It took the life out of my mother in such a cruel fashion. I wish that we had used at least part of the money wasted in Iraq for cancer research and treatment.