Remembering Ted Kennedy as a Lung Cancer Advocate

[question everything]

Remembering Ted Kennedy as a Lung Cancer Advocate
Wednesday August 26, 2009

On this day of Ted Kennedy’s passing, I don’t want to take away from the stories of his life and accomplishments. But – since my focus is lung cancer and empowering survivors – I had to share a story I am not seeing in the headlines.

Ted Kennedy was a lung cancer advocate.

Kara Kennedy Allen, 49, Ted Kennedy’s only daughter, was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer in late 2002. At the time she was only 42 years old, and the mother of two young children. Most of us have heard about his family’s struggle with cancer, but his role in being an advocate for his daughter with lung cancer is heartwarming.

Sitting with his daughter in 2002, Ted Kennedy found her diagnosis of inoperable lung cancer – a diagnosis that counts survival rate in months rather than years – unacceptable. So he took matters into his own hands. He researched the disease, researched doctors, and eventually found a surgeon he could put his faith in to remove Kara’s tumor. Dr. David. J. Sugarbaker, Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, was able to remove her cancer, and following chemotherapy, she is still with us today.

(snip)

I am unaware of the stage of Kara’s lung cancer. Surgery is not an option for everyone, and despite our best efforts, most people diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer do not survive as long as Kara. But, at least in Kara’s case, not accepting a first opinion, and being a participant in rather than a recipient of healthcare, was important.

(snip)

One other thought I don’t want to leave out. You may be wondering whether or not Kara was a smoker prior to her lung cancer diagnosis. I consciously chose not to share that. Does it – should it – make a difference whether or not someone smoked when it comes to sharing our love and compassion? I am sure Ted Kennedy would be appalled at the stigma of lung cancer that survivor’s experience. So today, in remembrance of Ted Kennedy, reach out in love and compassion to someone with lung cancer as he did with his daughter, and please, please, please don’t ask them: “did you smoke?"

http://lungcancer.about.com/b/2009/08/26/remembering-ted-kennedy-as-a-lung-cancer-advocate.htm

[endless october]

1. yeah, i hate it when people ask that question when someone dies.

you don't see people at the funeral of someone who died of cardiovascular discussing whether or not the deceased enjoyed bacon.

no one "deserves" lung cancer.

[question everything]

2. I did not realize how badly this family was touched by cancer

One son had his leg amputated while still a teenager after being diagnosed with bone cancer, and their mother was diagnosed with breath cancer some years back.

[trotsky]

4. I don't think it's so much an attitude of thinking someone "deserves" cancer.

The world can be a scary and unpredictable place. On top of that, cancer is a scary and unpredictable disease. Lots of people want a little reassurance that things are going to play by some "rules." By asking if someone who had lung cancer smoked, it could provide some calming reinforcement that at least some scary things don't have to be quite as scary.

[endless october]

5. maybe you're right, but...

judging by the look on the faces of those i've seen make that comment, there was a definite tone of "well, that person smoked, that's what they get."

anecdotal evidence aside, of course.

[Demit]

3. I'm sure the writer could phrase that better

—so that it doesn't read that Ted Kennedy was an advocate for lung cancer.