the meaning of cancer

 "The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become." - Charles DuBois

i am one paper away from my Master's Degree in Nursing, Clinical Nurse Specialist.

education has had a profound effect on enriching my nursing practice. i do not think the same pre-MSN as i did [two weeks away from] post-MSN.

yet the richer education has always been my patients.

they have taught me to be present. to listen.

a great number of my Hospice patients have cancer as their admitting diagnosis. distressingly so, many of these patients are young with small children. cancer comes upon them like a thief: you will not see your daughter's first prom; you will not see your son marry...

my intellectual understanding of cancer has been developed by, for example, attending a Future of Genomics seminar which had amazing information on genetics, epi-genetics and their impact on cancer's development.

i prefer a more Eastern view of disease, however.

i think of cancer as something caused by a great imbalance.

i do not agree with the Western view of "a War on Cancer".

cancer cells are the patient's cells. they have been changed through a process of a multitude of influences.

i believe that we should heal cancer.

and also, view the larger, human picture of the causes of cancer.

if it is outside the purview of medical science, so be it. may patients find this road map towards a healing, holistic view.

wishes for peace and healing to all. especially cancer patients.