survivor here. there are so many forms of cancer nowadays and treatment and survivorship rates are higher that the former stark divide between "has cancer" and "nope, doesn't have cancer" is reduced. as a survivor people often look at me inquiringly asking "and how's your health?" meaning, of course, "um, has your cancer come back yet?" fortunately not. But part of my thought process is "well, you're 53 years old too, and we're all kind of in the same boat now, in that a heart attack or cancer or anything could take anyone of us any year now." I welcome more discussion of cancer, I welcome this movie, I welcome this article, everyone should just talk about cancer, heat attacks, disease and life and death more. This may require the healthy (meaning, you don't yet know what disease or accident will knock you off) to realize they are also mortal.
@2 Thanks for posting that comment, it's wonderful.
As a former caregiver to a terminal patient, I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiment that talking about illness more is a good thing. I am and have always been healthy and active about maintaining that health.
Providing support for someone who was terminal changed my perspective on that health permanently. The experience was a constant reminder of mortality, and even little things that are taken for granted (like the commute to and from the patient's home, where you can be a random road fatality) became a matter of mortality reminders.
It helps you appreciate your life by reminding you that this thing has a deadline. Literally.
Then we can all laugh together.
As a former caregiver to a terminal patient, I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiment that talking about illness more is a good thing. I am and have always been healthy and active about maintaining that health.
Providing support for someone who was terminal changed my perspective on that health permanently. The experience was a constant reminder of mortality, and even little things that are taken for granted (like the commute to and from the patient's home, where you can be a random road fatality) became a matter of mortality reminders.
It helps you appreciate your life by reminding you that this thing has a deadline. Literally.