I actually started writing this post this morning after hearing about British star Jade Goody dying of ovarian cancer, but decided to “draft” it as writing/talking about cancer sucks. And now I’m even more saddened as one of my neighbors, Tom Martin, died this afternoon from liver cancer that took him quickly. He was Tatym’s PE teacher, and they loved to tease each other. He had written a children’s book and asked Tatym to help illustrate it. She finished it just a few days ago, so I hope he got to see the final draft before he passed. He was a wonderful man and touched many lives, and we know now he is in a better place with God above.
I swear cancer is becoming an epidemic in our community. First my dad (colon cancer), my grandma (breast cancer) and my cousin (testicular cancer) and within the last year several others have been diagnosed from my classmate to my classmate’s son to my classmates’ parents (plural), from my daughter’s friend’s mom to my son’s friend’s dad, from my bank teller to my son’s school secretary (rest in peace, Mrs. C) to my daughter’s doctor (Tatym misses her “masseuse”.) And that’s not even listing everyone that’s been diagnosed with cancer.
In a town of 1700, that is a high percentage! With a cornfield in my backyard, it makes one wonder if inorganic pesticides and toxic fertilizers really are polluting the water and linked to the cause of cancer? Don’t google it if you want to be more discouraged like I am.
Wow – I’m sorry today was such a sad one for you. I keep meaning to write on the topic as well… but I can’t seem to catch my breath between stories long enough to write. It’s so disheartening. In the past 6 months of heard of 3 women, pregnant with breast cancer, locally — its supposed to be a 1 in 35,000 situation… I keep asking the same question – why the sudden burst. I can’t decide if its really more people, or I am just becoming more aware?
Hugs to you
I am sorry. And I hope you are coming together as a community. I am thinking of you and wishing you peace and hope for a better tomorrow.
Kim, I am so sorry about the loss of so many people in your community, especially those in your family and close to you and your children.
Cancer does suck, I lost my 1st husband to cancer, he was only 20 years old, we found out the week after we got married that he had cancer. He fought it for 2 years before he died. I have always wondered why, what it was that triggered the cancer cells to grow. In this situation I think that possibly it could have been a virus, because he was told by his general physician he thought he had Mono, but the test never showed for sure that he had it.
I do think our environment, pesticides, and pollution make a huge difference. In fact there is an article about a town that is near my small town that was printed in the New York Times. Below is an exert from the article:
Some experts believe that chemical pollutants put into the air and water by the Hoechst Celanese plant in Pampa, Tex., are responsible for the higher-than-average number of Down syndrome cases in the region, as well as a high number of cancer cases (The New York Times/David Bowser)
Something that has happened in our small community is similar, we have about 2000 people who live in this town, and we have a larger than normal amount of people with auto-immune disorders like Lupus, Sjogren’s Syndrome, MS, and another really rare immune disorder, ITP (Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura)but the odd thing about this is the people that I know of that have these disorders live in about a 4 mile range of each other. My Mom has Lupus and Sjogren’s syndrome, my neighbor less than 1/4 of a mile from here has Sjogrens, her grown daughter has MS, another neighbor about 1/2 of a mile from me, her granddaughter has recently been diagnosed with ITP, My niece who spent every day at my Mom’s house while she was growing up had ITP when she was 16. Another young woman whose husband is a farmer, has MS. These are just the ones who live within 4 miles West of small community, on farms. About a mile south of my house lives a man who flew a crop duster plane years ago. I remember him flying over our house spraying the crops, when I was a young girl. Another strange thing is one day he had a full head of dark hair, next morning he woke up and was totally gray headed. Do I think the pesticides have anything to do with these illnesses????? Yes !!! Do I fear I too will end up with some sort of immune disorder????? Yes!!
So Kim I totally agree with you when you wonder if inorganic pesticides and toxic fertilizers really are polluting the water and linked to the cause of cancer, other illnesses, and birth defects. I just hope awareness of this will spread and something will be done to change these practices.
I also know that the age your daughter is can be a very difficult age and that death is a very scary thing for a young person to have to deal with. I think it is awesome that your daughter was involved in creating a children’s book with her PE teacher. This is something special she will always remember. I am sure you will encourage her to stay strong, because I know you are a very strong woman. You are a person who has inspired me.
Thanks for sharing and I am so sorry about all of the horrible ways cancer has affected your community.
Pingback: Celebrating a Celebridemic? | Kim’s Shopping Blog