Why I don't donate to cancer research
There seems to be an influx lately of all kinds of cancer treatment research fundraisers among individuals who I know and I feel like a yutz sometimes always ignoring them and not having people understand why exactly I am ignoring them. I hope that what I am about to say is not offensive to anyone and I say it, not to try and make people feel bad about their fundraising efforts, but more to give an explanation for myself so that people don't think I'm sheisty when I don't give them money for their cause or don't participate in such fundraisers myself. After all, just about everyone has been touched my cancer in some way and we'd all like to see a cure. I lost my own father to cancer a few years ago which is probably when I started openly rejecting cancer treatment research in general.
So what possible reason could I have for my distaste for foundations such as the National Cancer Society? You all will probably think I'm crazy, but hey, this is my blog right? I just don't agree with the focus of cancer research these days. I hate the fact that cancer research continues to focus on treatments like chemotherapy and invasive procedures that have clearly been proven not to be a cure in so many cases. I feel like cancer treatment, and really many disease treatments in general, focus on the symptoms of the disease rather than the cause which is where real cure lies. Cancer treatment (and "treatment" it is since there's no real guarantee of cure) is like putting a pot under the leak in your ceiling to catch the water, thereby preventing further damage but not actually fixing the roof which would truly solve the problem. You never know when that roof will cave in. It might last a few more years if it doesn't rain too much but you just never know. The pot's getting the job done. It's keeping your carpet dry and the floor from rotting. But it's not really solving the problem.
I hate that, because of lobbying of cancer researchers, government grants, pharmaceutical companies and the medical community at large, there has never been any significant or recognized research on the effects of radical diet change as a cure for cancer because there's no money in treating people by way of food. I feel that, if I give money to a cancer research fund, I am giving my money away to individuals who want to continue to keep Americans unhealthy because of money and charge outrageous amounts to patients for drug treatments when I truly believe the answer to the cancer problem is much simpler and far less expensive. I acknowledge that there are people who have been cured of cancer, even some of the more aggressive cancers and I'm happy for that. At least all this cancer research money has gone to help someone. But there are far too many who aren't helped. There are far far too many who never see the benefits of that money and they should. So that's why I don't give my money to cancer research and never will until I see real change in cancer research and far less focus on how much money can be made on people suffering from cancer. Because money is made. Cancer research is a business, not a philanthropic venture.
I know a lot of people don't see it this way and by golly everyone is entitled to an opinion on the subject. When I see someone working hard to raise money, I know they are doing it with a desire to serve and to help their fellow man and no matter the outcome, that is ALWAYS admirable and it makes me smile and it makes me happy to know them. So keep on keepin on, I say, and do what you think is right. There's no more desirable quality than an charitable heart.
So what possible reason could I have for my distaste for foundations such as the National Cancer Society? You all will probably think I'm crazy, but hey, this is my blog right? I just don't agree with the focus of cancer research these days. I hate the fact that cancer research continues to focus on treatments like chemotherapy and invasive procedures that have clearly been proven not to be a cure in so many cases. I feel like cancer treatment, and really many disease treatments in general, focus on the symptoms of the disease rather than the cause which is where real cure lies. Cancer treatment (and "treatment" it is since there's no real guarantee of cure) is like putting a pot under the leak in your ceiling to catch the water, thereby preventing further damage but not actually fixing the roof which would truly solve the problem. You never know when that roof will cave in. It might last a few more years if it doesn't rain too much but you just never know. The pot's getting the job done. It's keeping your carpet dry and the floor from rotting. But it's not really solving the problem.
I hate that, because of lobbying of cancer researchers, government grants, pharmaceutical companies and the medical community at large, there has never been any significant or recognized research on the effects of radical diet change as a cure for cancer because there's no money in treating people by way of food. I feel that, if I give money to a cancer research fund, I am giving my money away to individuals who want to continue to keep Americans unhealthy because of money and charge outrageous amounts to patients for drug treatments when I truly believe the answer to the cancer problem is much simpler and far less expensive. I acknowledge that there are people who have been cured of cancer, even some of the more aggressive cancers and I'm happy for that. At least all this cancer research money has gone to help someone. But there are far too many who aren't helped. There are far far too many who never see the benefits of that money and they should. So that's why I don't give my money to cancer research and never will until I see real change in cancer research and far less focus on how much money can be made on people suffering from cancer. Because money is made. Cancer research is a business, not a philanthropic venture.
I know a lot of people don't see it this way and by golly everyone is entitled to an opinion on the subject. When I see someone working hard to raise money, I know they are doing it with a desire to serve and to help their fellow man and no matter the outcome, that is ALWAYS admirable and it makes me smile and it makes me happy to know them. So keep on keepin on, I say, and do what you think is right. There's no more desirable quality than an charitable heart.
WEll said, and I agree. but in a world all about big business we have to pad pharmasutical companies, right? UGH!
ReplyDeleteCombating disease is all about prevention...even in many cases, cancer. There are a lot of non profits doing a good job of getting the word out about healthy living.
ReplyDeleteI would say though that the cancer that I have seen affects healthy people with either "bad" genes or environmental circumstances. Hence, invasive treatments are the only way. Take childhood luekemia, testicular cancer (Lance Armstrong)or prostate/breast/colon at a young age. I don't know if I would say ALL Cancer non profits are bad.
If you live long enough, you will get cancer. Skin and lung are highly preventable but there are many others that are not. Cancer is so prevalent because we are living longer. I think the biggest take away is learning when to give up on the chemo and spend your remaining days doing what you want and not in a hospital bed.
There is probably no way that pharmaceutical companies will NOT prevail Heather given the saturation of drug treatments. I often feel about change in the medical world as I do when I vote for the third party. It seems as if I'm throwing my "voice" away just like how people say you throw your votes away. Yet I still do it because I think it's right, not necessarily because I think it will invoke change. It's more that I need to remain true to myself rather than "give in" and go with it because then I just feel inauthentic. I hate that feeling. Aryn, gosh I'm sure there are more admirable non profits than others. And yes prevention is equally if not more important than the cure but as you said people will inevitably get cancer which is why I think a cure is still important. I just disagree with the so-called cure.
ReplyDeleteIt is definitely important to accept death. Brad's always saying that people should be more "ok" with dying and stop trying to live so darn long. As morbid as that sounds, its a good point and I think what you are trying to say too.
Aryn, you are tragically mis-informed. We are not "living longer" these days, and cancer is not a natural product of aging. I suggest you look at the archeological record of human evolution for confirmation. Accidental/proprietorial deaths have been significantly reduced, but overall, we have gotten sicker, weaker, and less long-lived (without the aid of medical supplies and pharmaceuticals)since the advent of agriculture, and, especially, modern civilization.
ReplyDeleteOpps, meant predatorial.
ReplyDelete