The C-Word

No, I’m not referring to the vulgar word that makes everyone gasp when it’s uttered. It’s much worse. It’s a word that has affected most everyone I know and more. It’s a word that has the power to change lives; sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. This five letter word is equated with death and tragedy. With sorrow and hurt. If you haven’t already guessed, I’m referring to cancer.

Photo by thart2009 via Flickr.com

It seems to be apart of life that never goes away. It’s the elephant in the room. It takes more lives than nearly any other accident and it doesn’t discriminate. It has no prejudice. Healthy and unhealthy people alike are all at risk. Myself, much like many many others, have been personally affected by cancer. Three of my immediate family members have fallen ill to cancer. Smokers? No. Drinkers? No. Obese? No. Each of the three are active and healthy, free of cancer-causing habits.

What frightens me is the future. Will my great-great grandchildren read in their biology textbooks of the epidemic that took millions of lives for many years? Will my great great-grand children fall ill to cancer at some point in their lives? Will I fall ill to cancer at some point in my life?

What I have found to be therapeutic in grasping the concept of such an evil presence is not allowing it to overpower my life. I am active, I eat healthy, I wear sunscreen, I sleep, I (try) to not stress. But what is all this for if cancer is blind to its victim? Who can ever know who will fall into its grips? Sure, anyone can use the excuse that ‘everything causes cancer’ to dismiss bad behavior. To live a life fear free means doing what you can to prevent it; knowing that if it does happen, you gave it your all.

I never fully understood the meaning of ‘living each day as a gift’ until I watched a loved one robbed of the gift way too soon. For many, life passes them by until something stops them in their tracks. For others, their lives are full of adventure worth their while. The question to ask is, if the C-word comes knocking at your door, would you answer it?