Where did the notion that having cancer (or how you deal with it) makes someone brave or a hero?

[Anonymous]

Because if you think about it, it really doesn't. Bravery means willingly putting yourself in harms way and for a good reason. Cancer patients had no choice. Sure chemo is gruelling and painful, but it's better that than dying. a slow and painful death from cancer so chosing to get treated isn't a matter of bravery but of common sense. And being a victim of something (no matter how you handle it) doesn't make you a hero either. Of course it's a painful and scary thing to go through but because they're doing what anyone would do in that situation makes them worthy of no admiration so what's with all this pretentious nonsense we use when talking about people with cancer?

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Also, why is this sort of fallacious rhetoric most strongly applied to moms with cancer?

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I mean honestly, I always see these pictures that say "my mommy is my hero" with a pink ribbon. News flash: your mom having cancer doesn't make her a hero, brave or a fighter, it only makes her unfortunate.

[AmberlyQuynh]

they are putting themselves in harm's way... they're risking a chance of death so they can make a life to spend with their loved ones. they're sacrificing life in hopes of allowing their family to have more time for them. this is an ignorant post in some ways to me, you've never seen nor experienced anyone with cancer. nor had it yourself. think about what it'd be like for you. if you beat cancer, a near death sentence, that IS heroic. they overcame the odds in the face of death... something a lot of people don't or can't do. think about it. put yourself in their shoes... and then maybe you'll be less insensitive to what matters to other people.

[Asker]

"they are putting themselves in harm's way" News flash: they were already in harms' way if they had cancer. They're risking a chance of death LOL when they were diagnosed with cancer they were already at a high risk of dying. Getting treated lowers their chance of dying. Clearly your perspective on this topic is absolutely screwed up :) by the way, my mom actually died of cancer. And beating cancer isn't "heroic" in any way. Understand this: to willingly put yourself in danger to help others is heroic, saving your own life is in no way shape or form heroic. As for your remark about how it's something a lot of people can't or won't do: news flash: anyone can get cancer and yet virtually everyone who does chooses to get treated for it. What, do you think cancer happens to a select group of people, doubt it

[lexythelou22]

A coward would just kill themselves in the face of danger (whether it be war or something like that or not). Of course those who choose to die because they have that sickness aren't cowards, things like that are excruciatingly painful, but to undergo such pain and treatment requires a brave face. It may be a different sort of bravery, but cancer patients still have to be brave to take action and deal with those issues rather than just cry and sulk or something like that. They are brave, just in a different sort of way than say someone in the army.

[Asker]

To undergo such pain when the only other option is dying a painful death isn't bravery it's just human instinct.

[lexythelou22]

Actually, often times people lose their will to live when faced with this problem, but I do understand what you're trying to say.

[Anonymous]

Being diagnosed with cancer is not the measure of a brave person, it's how they get out of bed every morning with a potential death sentence hanging over their head and acting like everything is normal and carrying on as business per usual is the measure of how brave they are and of course going through the treatment.

To the people that have beaten cancer, I salute you, you are brave and you deserve respect because if I am ever diagnosed with it, I know I'll crumble and fall. I'm a weak man behind my hardened exterior.

[Asker]

No you won't you'd stand and fight as just about everyone would. It's instinct, not bravery and getting out of bed doesn't make anyone brave.

[Red_Arrow]

Getting cancer or being treated does not make someone brace or a hero. But putting aside your pains and emotions to face what for you si now much harder than for other people, to give to your friends when you feel like shit, and to quietly hold inside your own pain as you continue to help others, that IS brave. And that person is a hero!

[Asker]

No they're not. I'm tired of hearing this how you handle it makes you a hero rhetoric. It doesn't. No matter how you handle it it doesn't make you a hero, it just makes you unfortunate.

[Red_Arrow]

No, having the cancer and having to get it treated makes it unfortunate. How you handle it may or may not be heroic. And if yu are tired of hearing it, I guess you better get earplugs and stop reading, because real people realize that people will react differently to problems, and some of them are heroic.

[Asker]

Being a victim doesn't make you a hero, no matter how you react to it. Everyone wants to say that their loved one with cancer is a hero but obviously that can't be true. They could be heroes for other reasons but not because of how they deal with their affliction.

[Red_Arrow]

Nobody is saying that being a victim makes you heroic. (Other than you, actually) We are saying that it is unfortunate. But what they do with that, and how they go on with their life, can be very heroic. Hmmm How many times do we have to say it for you to finally read it and understand? Because you keep going back and arguing the victim thing which is NOT what we are saying.

[Asker]

How many times am I going to have to say that in order to be a hero you have to be making a difference in the world. Choosing to get up and live YOUR life as opposed to lying in bed when you have cancer doesn't make you a hero at all. Why is this so hard to understand?

[Red_Arrow]

Going out and raising money to fight the cancer you have to save others is making a difference in the world. Getting out of bed when in pain to help your family and friends is making a difference in the world, even if small. Going to support meetings to speak and give others hope is making a difference in the world. And millions more examples.

"Why is this so hard to understand?" Exactly what was thinking about you not getting it at all!

[Asker]

Raising money does make a difference, however, how much of a hero you are is measured by the impact that you make, not by the effort that you put into it. As such they aren't more heroic than anyone else.

[Red_Arrow]

I know many people that have made a huge difference. So I guess by your definition they are heroes.

[Asker]

And care to explain the "huge difference" they made by getting up out of bed?

[Red_Arrow]

the difference was that byu being out of bed they then went on to do productive things rather than lay in bed, which would have been easier. As I already said, they get out of be to be able to help family and/or friends and/or even strangers. And since you either are not reading what has been said, or are too ignorant to understand it, I am done wasting time on you. Bye!

[Asker]

That's just reciprocity, as I stated, there's nothing exemplary about that.

[kingoficeolation]

Is it better than dying, especially knowing you may well die regardless? I think it's admirable that some people have such dedication that they keep going even while facing a possible death sentence, instead of just giving up and dying which would be the easier thing to do.

[Asker]

Giving up and dying isn't the easier thing to do because in the process of taking your life, cancer will cause you all of the agony that the treatments will and more.

[kingoficeolation]

The treatment takes longer, and the agony of a death from cancer may be added on top of that.

[WhatTheHellAmy]

img.memecdn.com/wait-good-point_o_1144675.jpg

lol lololo

[Asker]

What do you mean by that?

[WhatTheHellAmy]

You're kinda right

[throwit]

Why do you keep asking this question every couple of weeks

[Asker]

I've dedicated my life to taking down the false rhetoric people use about the issue and until it is gone I will NEVER EVER give up on my cause.

[IsaiahHB]

My mom did chemo and she still died. Last March actually. She fought like hell though. So my mom is my hero.