jsteele wrote:
Anonymous wrote:http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/15/530737.page#8299336
The person -- OP -- is effectively saying that people make bad choices and end up with cancer.
Sorry, it took me a while to work my way through this. I'm not sure if you realized, but you linked to your own post. I assume that you are referring to the long post that is quoted in the message to which you linked? My understanding of that post is that the poster is referring to one specific type of cancer and providing suggestions for reducing risk. I am not sure what is controversial about that and I do not agree that it is blaming the people who have cancer for their cancer. I do realize that this is a sensitive topic to many and that some readers may interpret things differently than I do, but I don't feel that thread requires any intervention from me.
Cancer patient here who posts somewhat frequently on cancer threads, although usually I confine myself to threads providing support to newly diagnosed patients.
FWIW, I'm in agreement with you on this, Jeff. I don't think that thread requires any intervention. I have not posted on that thread, but I've read it. I can see how some of the posts can feel hurtful to those of us with cancer. I think it's less about the specifics of prevention or reducing risk and more about the tone of some of the posts. Some of them make it sound like the issue of cancer is so simple. Live a clean lifestyle and you'll be fine. But everyone knows that isn't true. You can do everything "right" in matters of lifestyle and still find yourself with stage 4 cancer and little long term hope. If you're in this position, or presently in treatment and struggling to get well and still live a fulfilling life, it can be irritating to read posts that sound insensitive, especially if it *sounds* like the poster has no direct experience with cancer.
So, there's a lot of emotion involved. That said, opinions are like...noses and everyone has one. Some I like. Some I don't. But I don't think opinions necessarily need deleting.
I'm thankful you took a thoughtful look at it and responded to concerns. For me, this is enough.
Thank you.