Above all things I think Cancer has to be the scariest thing in existence. You can't see it, taste it, touch it, or smell it. With exception of cancer caused by smoking, it appears without warning and without reason, seemingly random, and recs havoc on the body. Over the years, I have known several people to lose their life to cancer. In most cases, there is no real known cause, it just happens. It affects young, old, men, women.
I have a friend at work who has a friend diagnosed with Leukemia fighting for her life at this moment. She is about 40 years old, married with two young sons. I don't know her and I have never met her. But yet, I have been affected by her story. She was diagnosed last summer, under went a bone marrow transplant, went into remission, only to find 6 month later cancer was back, in full force. Now she lays in a hospital bed, basically waiting to die. On Thursday, the doctors didn't expect her to live through the night. She is still holding on, still fighting, but it is just a matter of time before her body gives in.
While I don't know this person, I think one of the reason her story is so powerful is it leads me to ponder the question: Why? Why does this person have the disease? What was she exposed to that cause it? She seems to be just your average person in society, which leads to the second thought...it could be anybody. That is what makes cancer so scary to me. No one is immune, not even the most healthy person around. It's out there, just lurking around, waiting to strike the next victim. Anyone could be next, including me or you.
I remember once when I was younger thinking AIDS would be the epidemic of my life time. I don't know anyone with AIDS...but it just seems cases of cancer keep popping up.
This is also why I feel my job has such an important place in society. By helping keep California's water clean, hopefully we can eliminate the exposure to cancer-causing chemicals in drinking water.
Yea, cancer does seem really scary. I really respect you for your choice of work, I've been wanting to work with water resources since I started my Environmental Policy degree.
ReplyDeleteI agree. My Uncle was diagnosed with Leukemia last year, had a Bone Marrow Transplant in June and now the Cancer is back 50%. They say he may not live more than 6 months. He is only 56 and has been healthy all of his life. It all seems so unfair and so scary because like you said it can happen to anyone.
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