Wednesday, January 18, 2006

No Room For Blame

I "chatted" with Jamie Young through www.lcaware.org, and she gave me permission to use this article. My dad found it originally and he was very touched by her story. He immediately emailed me and said, "Can we use this?" So, with Jamie's blessing, I am sharing her story with you.

Also, Jamie will be having a lung cancer awareness event on March 4. She asked to use Laurianne's story. I hope that Laurianne's story will help bring awareness that young people can get lung cancer, also. Young people like Jamie and Laurianne.

No Room for Blame
By JAMIE YOUNG

Lung cancer is the Number One killer cancer. That sentence scared me to death when I was diagnosed.

Along with the statistics and the negativity that surrounds Lung Cancer. From speaking with numerous people, I have found that the negative stigma, namely smoking, has a lot to do with the perception some people have of Lung cancer patients.

Some people honestly feel that these patients deserve what they got. Give me a break.

In my opinion, it's extremely unfair and unkind for anyone to say they brought it on themselves. I haven't met a lung cancer patient yet that had any idea what they would go through if they got lung cancer from smoking.

Believe me if you knew what it felt like to have chemotherapy, radiation or surgery, you would definitely re-evaluate the smoking issue. If you truly understood what it was like to not be able to walk through a big store because you were totally exhausted and out of breath? Or, if you had to get a feeding tube because the radiation burned your esophagus and nerves at the base of your brain so badly that you couldn't eat for about two and a half to three months, you would definitely want to quit smoking.

I can promise you that I didn't bring this on myself and I wouldn't wish this terrible disease on anyone. Smoking is a terrible addiction and a hard habit to break.

Unfortunately, this is not a perfect world and we are not a perfect people and of course, "hindsight is 20/20". But, I can tell you this. The Lung cancer patients that I have met have been some of the most considerate and caring human beings that I have ever crossed paths with in my whole life.

These wonderful people don't deserve what they got. They don't deserve the physical pain and the anguish of not knowing whether or not they will be alive tomorrow or the next day.

Nobody deserves that.

No matter what they have done in the past, they deserve the chance to live and be cured just as much as the next sick person.

We may not be a perfect people, but we can be forgiving and we can definitely be empathetic.

When I taught school, one of the most important things that I tried to instill in my kids was empathy.

Caring for others and looking at the world through someone else's eyes without judgment.

We, as adults, can learn a lot from children. My three year old teaches me something new everyday and he is one of the most empathetic people that I know. He loves everyone and has a true concern for their feelings. It doesn't matter what they look like, what they do for a living, what their bad habits are or how old they are. He wants them to be happy and feel good. I sure wish we could all see the world that way. What a carefree and happy group of people we would be.

Cancer patients in many ways have been blessed. Although the statistics are not a welcoming figure for people diagnosed with this terrible disease, we still have the chance to use what time we have left to our advantage. If we live one year or 50 years, we have learned to cherish each day like it was our last. In this respect, we are very blessed. Life looks totally different through a cancer patient's eyes. When you can look death in the face and say, "Go away, I'm not finished yet, you are ready to live"!!! More funding for research would give us encouragement and hope.

Many Lung cancer patients give up hope and don't have the will to survive. New medicine, therapies, treatments and young people wanting to focus on this illness as a lifelong career is the only way to beat this disease and give the 160,000+ that are diagnosed every year the hope they need to look forward to the future.

Some people may ask the question. What about those people that continue to smoke after being diagnosed?

My answer to that is, "What about those people that never smoked and were diagnosed? There are no clear answers and why point fingers. Help should be given to anyone that needs it and asks for it.

That's what God wants to do. Help your neighbor.

Lung cancer has changed my life for the better in many ways. Now, I cherish each day I have with my family. I have a very intimate relationship with GOD and I know why I am here.

I have many things to be thankful for and I definitely can't complain. My hopes and prayers are that every person can reach an inner peace with the understanding that helping our brothers is one of the greatest commandments.

Having a purpose in life gives you something to live for. Find your purpose and keep living.

I would love to invite you to visit the www.lchelp.org website and see for yourself the dynamic individuals that have been touched by cancer in one way or another.

I am so fortunate to have this group of people to keep my spirits up and who truly care for me. They love you for who you are. I visit the site everyday and anxiously wait to hear good news. The good news gives you hope and with hope you have faith.

Lung cancer is the Number One killer cancer. That sentence scared me to death when I was diagnosed.

Along with the statistics and the negativity that surrounds Lung Cancer. From speaking with numerous people, I have found that the negative stigma, namely smoking, has a lot to do with the perception some people have of Lung cancer patients.

Some people honestly feel that these patients deserve what they got. Give me a break.

In my opinion, it's extremely unfair and unkind for anyone to say they brought it on themselves. I haven't met a lung cancer patient yet that had any idea what they would go through if they got lung cancer from smoking.

Believe me if you knew what it felt like to have chemotherapy, radiation or surgery, you would definitely re-evaluate the smoking issue. If you truly understood what it was like to not be able to walk through a big store because you were totally exhausted and out of breath? Or, if you had to get a feeding tube because the radiation burned your esophagus and nerves at the base of your brain so badly that you couldn't eat for about two and a half to three months, you would definitely want to quit smoking.

I can promise you that I didn't bring this on myself and I wouldn't wish this terrible disease on anyone. Smoking is a terrible addiction and a hard habit to break.

Unfortunately, this is not a perfect world and we are not a perfect people and of course, "hindsight is 20/20". But, I can tell you this. The Lung cancer patients that I have met have been some of the most considerate and caring human beings that I have ever crossed paths with in my whole life.

These wonderful people don't deserve what they got. They don't deserve the physical pain and the anguish of not knowing whether or not they will be alive tomorrow or the next day.

Nobody deserves that.

No matter what they have done in the past, they deserve the chance to live and be cured just as much as the next sick person.

We may not be a perfect people, but we can be forgiving and we can definitely be empathetic.

When I taught school, one of the most important things that I tried to instill in my kids was empathy.

Caring for others and looking at the world through someone else's eyes without judgment.

We, as adults, can learn a lot from children. My three year old teaches me something new everyday and he is one of the most empathetic people that I know. He loves everyone and has a true concern for their feelings. It doesn't matter what they look like, what they do for a living, what their bad habits are or how old they are. He wants them to be happy and feel good. I sure wish we could all see the world that way. What a carefree and happy group of people we would be.

Cancer patients in many ways have been blessed. Although the statistics are not a welcoming figure for people diagnosed with this terrible disease, we still have the chance to use what time we have left to our advantage. If we live one year or 50 years, we have learned to cherish each day like it was our last. In this respect, we are very blessed. Life looks totally different through a cancer patient's eyes. When you can look death in the face and say, "Go away, I'm not finished yet, you are ready to live"!!! More funding for research would give us encouragement and hope.

Many Lung cancer patients give up hope and don't have the will to survive. New medicine, therapies, treatments and young people wanting to focus on this illness as a lifelong career is the only way to beat this disease and give the 160,000+ that are diagnosed every year the hope they need to look forward to the future.

Some people may ask the question. What about those people that continue to smoke after being diagnosed?

My answer to that is, "What about those people that never smoked and were diagnosed? There are no clear answers and why point fingers. Help should be given to anyone that needs it and asks for it.

That's what God wants to do. Help your neighbor.

Lung cancer has changed my life for the better in many ways. Now, I cherish each day I have with my family. I have a very intimate relationship with GOD and I know why I am here.

I have many things to be thankful for and I definitely can't complain. My hopes and prayers are that every person can reach an inner peace with the understanding that helping our brothers is one of the greatest commandments.

Having a purpose in life gives you something to live for. Find your purpose and keep living.

I would love to invite you to visit the www.lchelp.org website and see for yourself the dynamic individuals that have been touched by cancer in one way or another.

I am so fortunate to have this group of people to keep my spirits up and who truly care for me. They love you for who you are. I visit the site everyday and anxiously wait to hear good news. The good news gives you hope and with hope you have faith.

Posted by Lynda :: 1:36 PM :: 0 people are more aware ---------------------------------------