Monday 5 September 2011

The Blame Game

There are a lot of stories in the media right now concerning Cancer and what makes people more at risk - we all do things that may be considered risky where our health is concerned - smoking, drinking, stress, junk food, drugs etc etc, but what I object to and something that seems to be happening a lot lately is that some people are taking something that is a risk and making it a reason, and sometimes the sole reason that someone gets Cancer.

There was a story in one of the papers online recently and someone had left a comment underneath basically stating that had the person concerned eaten some vegetables and gone for a walk that simple as that they would not have Cancer.  Bollocks.  This comment was obviously from someone who has never had someone they care for go through the nightmare that is having Cancer.

The truth of the matter is you can speculate as to a reason all you like but no-one really know why one person gets it and one does not regardless - Cancer does not discriminate in any way, anyone can get it and pointing the finger of blame at someone because they have eaten a burger more than once is never going to be helpful, so why do some people feel the need to find a reason and to blame a person for getting cancer?

At the end of the day someone with Cancer has enough to deal with without the added stress of blaming themselves, I remember when my Husband was diagnosed, the first words out of his mouth to me were "I'm sorry" and my response..."I'ts not your fault" and no matter what anyone says I would never have blamed him and I never will.

Please don't misunderstand me I'm certainly not saying that having a totally unhealthy lifestyle is ok I just take issue with people apportioning blame to something which much of the time can't be explained - why do people get Cancer?  Is is lifestyle, genes, environment or just bloody bad luck?  To be honest now I have had it I can't say I really dwell on why I got it all I care about is surviving and living again.  Will it make me change my lifestyle?  To an extent yes, is it the only reason? No. Do I think that changing my lifestyle will stop it from coming back?  I don't know, I wish there was more evidence to say that it will but at the end of the day if its going to come back it will come back - to use an old cliche what will be will be.

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