My Experience With Cancer!

Once again I did my volunteering yesterday, as I usually do on a Monday. A regular customer suffering with cancer stood talking to me for half an hour in the shop; her  condition, routine, medication and side effects all dominating her daily activities.  She made me think about my own experiences with this illness, something I haven't done for a while. Families are torn apart by so many treatable conditions, mine no exception and cancer is at the top of a very long list that destroys lives. Regular screening and tests should be part of all our regimes, especially as we get older. Going to see a GP can be an arduous task, especially with long waiting lists and the embarrassment of invasive examinations, but it is essential to catch the big 'C' early. Once diagnosed the chances of survival are good and many recover to lead normal lives!

As readers to 'Roaming Brit' are well aware, my partners Mother is suffering from cancer, the reason why he had to return to Australia, to care for her at this difficult time. My Great Aunty Carol is also undergoing treatment for Cancer; her condition is currently being managed, to extend her quality of life. The medical care she requires is debilitating and leaves her exhausted, but with a loving family she continues to strive for the future she desires, watching her grandchildren grow up, as all of them create new milestones in their lives!

The first time I really began to identify just what cancer was and what it did to people, was when my Cousin Vanessa was diagnosed with the disease in the late 1970s. At the time I was far too young to understand just what her illness meant, but saw Vanessa on a regular basis and slowly learned just how destructive her disorder was. Her Mum, my Great Aunt Ronnie lived next door to my Gran and Grandad and Vanessa would pop in every now and again while we were visiting to say a brief hello. She wore a scarf covering her head and neck; I knew there was something wrong, but didn't fully understand the complexities surrounding Vanessa's life. It was never really discussed in a literal sense, but Mum would always ask how she was and you could see the sadness in both their eyes!

Cancer isn't the type of thing people want to talk about; it is one of those subjects all of us avoid discussing if we can, but it is a topic we all need to examine and explore in order to comprehend the gravity of this scourge on peoples lives. As individuals we tend to steer clear of controversial themes for fear of offending others, especially if the person suffering is in the same room; that has to change! Ignoring cancer, hoping it will go away for fear of upsetting the victim is not the way we should deal with it. The more we talk, the more we accept and familiarise ourselves with a battle many of us will have to endure at some stage in our lives....Talking really does matter! The lady I spoke with in the shop, wanted to express how she felt on Monday, just like anyone who needs to let off steam once in a while. It is important to feel somebody is listening to what we have to say; hiding the truth, talking in code and distorting the facts is not an answer to solving cancer; speaking with cool, calm veracity is!

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