Oh no the word C-A-N-C-E-R

Since I nor anyone close with me has never been directly affected by cancer or a life threatening illness, I thought I could write about my experiences through discovering what cancer is and what people and people that are close with them go through when battling cancer.

My initial reaction to the word C-A-N-C-E-R is nothing but scary, sadness, death and the last thing that I would ever want to go through. I think as a society we are all terrified of this word. We are told by movies and society that Cancer is nothing but a dark cave that people get stuck in and then lost in and don't even try to think happy thoughts about getting out because there is no hope for you, so you might as well just stay there and die. I know that this might come across a little harsh, but lets be honest we have all felt this way about cancer at one point or another.

Since there has only been two people in my family that have had cancer and then died from it (but they were both very old) I don't know the real feelings that are associated with it. I have known close friends that have parents who have suffered from cancer and I remember how I felt towards what they were going through. It's a very surreal experience to see someone you know and have known as this healthy looking and full of life spirited person and then see them with cancer and the different stages of cancer and how it affects them physically and emotionally.

I know that the word Cancer is in the end just a word and the meaning that you place behind is what makes you have the different levels of emotion towards it. My hope through writing this blog will allow me to open my eyes to the meaning and not just the word.