Not just a statistic – World Cancer Day

It’s 81 days since my amazing Dad died. He had been fighting bile duct cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, for five years and two months.

Me and Dad cuddle

Today is World Cancer Day and the campaign is seeking to dispel four key myths about cancer, I hope this blog helps to dispel at least two – that cancer is a disease of the wealthy, elderly and developed countries (Dad was 65 when he died) and that cancer is a death sentence. Dad did indeed die as a result of his cancer but his life was no death sentence.

Current figures suggest that 1 in 3 of us will develop cancer in our lifetimes. Trust me this disease isn’t something that happens to other people, look around, there’s a good chance that at least one of the people sitting with you this evening are likely to face this illness, and it could of course be you. Recent research shows that people in the UK are still too good at the stiff upper lip when it comes to cancer diagnosis – concerns about wasting GP’s time or being embarrassed prevail. If you have any concerns about your health then raise them with a medical professional as soon as possible.

Cancer Research UK estimate that 1000 people are diagnosed with bile duct cancer each year in England, so (very) crude maths suggests that in England alone 222 people have received a diagnosis of bile duct cancer since Dad died. If this blog, or any of it’s positivity about living with and fighting this disease, reaches one of those people or their families then it’s work is done.

NB

Read more about my Dad in his eulogy.

If you wish to know more about life with cancer then take a look at Kate Granger’s blog or Helen Fawkes’s blog – two amazingly inspirational women who are sharing their experience of life with cancer.

0 comments on “Not just a statistic – World Cancer Day”

gemmerzz says:

my dad was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma in august 2012. your blog is an inspiration to me!

Hey Gemmerzz, thanks for the comment, your Dad’s experience sounds so similar to mine – the chemo, the amazing staff, the love for Bailey 😉 (Although it was Stella in my folks case). I really sincerely hope that your Dad is one of the few who beat this hideous disease xx

gemmerzz says:

Thanks, George!! Cancer sucks. But reading blogs like yours reminds me that whether or not we’re “sick”, every day, we’re ALL a day closer to death. Live, love, laugh, rinse, repeat. Every day. Thank you for making me feel that. 🙂

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