Make Cancer A Priority

[Wetzelbill]

Making Cancer A Priority

There is a hospital in Helena, Montana. I don’t remember which one. All I recall is it was cold, white and sterile. Hard. Emotionless. It was in this hospital where I first experienced the ravages of cancer as it ate away my father’s mother. Us grandchildren, milling around as if we were on a family vacation. Death and pain lurking in every shadow. On every floor and in every room.

I hate how families only get together in times of trauma or bliss.

Reunions filled with tears of sadness or happiness.

Funerals. Sickness. Weddings. Holidays.

My grandmother died of cancer. So did an aunt. A friend. I’ve known many others, survivors and the not so fortunate. Family members. Friends. Acquaintances. It seems that nobody can escape the wrath. Nobody can live life untouched by this disease.

A few years ago, I coauthored a short story collection, in which, all proceeds went to cancer research. A farm boy from Montana became a published author writing stories about the Montana hi-line and the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. I’m not sure if I believed that would ever happen. Still don’t. Yet, certain questions haunt me. Did my efforts make a difference? Did I do enough? Should I do more? How many are still dying? I never told anybody this before.

But, I feel guilty that my career started on the name of a killer disease.

My only redemption is a lifelong dedication toward its eradication.

From 1997 to 2001, 976 out of every 100,000 white people developed cancer. 411 of them died. In that same time, 486 out of every 100,000 American Indians had cancer. 280 died. In women, the two racial groups combined for 195 cases and 40 deaths from breast cancer alone. In men, the two groups had 219 cases of prostate cancer with 49 deaths. Montana ranks 35th among all fifty states and Washington D.C. in cancer mortality rate. While in 2003, an estimated 4,600 Montanans were diagnosed with cancer, approximately 1,900 of them died. That is about 194 out of every 100,000 state residents. Nearly one-fourth died from lung cancer, which handily tops breast and prostate as the number one cancer killer of Montanans........

http://www.livejournal.com/users/billwetzel/

[oscar111]

1. 3O billion is NIH research total

35O billion was bush's taxcuts for the rich.

plenty there if rolled back, to increase med research

ELEVEN TIMES!

Pls Recommnd for Greatst Pge, bott OP a button for it.

[oscar111]

2. 109 Trillion, not billion, is US wealth

see Demopedia page

capital

for link

[Quakerfriend]

3. Yes Wetzelbill, we must make this a priority

Unfortunately, it is the PRIORITY of our gov't to MAKE MONEY via THE CANCER INDUSTRY! All of the treatments available are predicated, not on healing but, on profit taking.

Do you know about the Indian herbal remedy, 'Essiac Tea'. Please, read "Calling of an Angel" by Dr. Gary Glum. There are many things that are quite simple that can help us all to get well from cancer.

I should know. I worked for the NIH doing medical research (much of it in Oncology)when I found out that I was riddled with cancer (stage IV).

I went to Mexico to do Gerson Therapy and was completely free of cancer in less than 5 weeks! That was almost 8 years ago.

[Wetzelbill]

4. good story

That's interesting. Thank God you're alright. 5 weeks! That's amazing.

So have you been totally healthy since, without having to continue the treatments at all?