Obligation of the cured
At the recent LiveStrong Global Cancer Summit held here in Dublin last month, Lance Armstrong spoke of the “the obligation of the cured” – the idea that those who survive cancer should help others do the same. When I first heard this spoken of, my heart sang at those words. This is precisely how I feel, although as I am fond of quoting throughout this blog, I call it the sister/brotherhood of cancer, after the Albert Schweitzer quote:
Whoever among us has learned through personal experience what pain and anxiety really are must help to ensure that those out there who are in … need obtain the same help that once came to (her). (She) no longer belongs to (herself) alone; (she)has become the (sister) of all who suffer
As part of what I believe to be my own personal obligation, I believe in educating myself about the latest research in cancer, keeping up to date with what is happening in the cancer community, promoting early detection and awareness and doing my part to keep cancer at the top of the political and media agenda.
So in this week as I get ready to celebrate my five year cancerversary, I would love to hear from other survivors on whether they too feel this sense of obligation? And if so, how do you manifest it in your lives and the lives of those you touch?
Although not in the group you asked to respond, I do believe in the obligation of the cured. Not as a “you survived so you have to do this” but as a very meaningful way to help other going through the ordeal you have been through. If survivors can find it in their hearts to fulfill the oblegation of the cured it is the best way they have to get back at cancer and kick its butt! Commend you for the way you do it my dear Twister!
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This particular clip from the LiveSTRONG Global Summit resonated with me profoundly. In fact, it’s been in and around my mind ever since.
The phrase itself — “The Obligation of the Cured” — feels majestic. It vaults us from everyday people to those who have been extended another chance at life.
Am I cured? Forever? I don’t know. Today I am. Today I work beyond my comfort level because I CAN.
As a woman of faith, my experience surviving cancer and experience with God are intertwined. So cancer advocacy, cancer outreach, and education is not as much an obligation as a calling. I can’t NOT participate, I can’t NOT participate in the opportunity to be involved the fight for our lives.
It is not an obligation; it is everything that makes my life worthwhile.
Thank you so much Marie, for fostering this wonderful conversation.
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I do think ‘obligation’ is a strong word in some ways. And I think it’s subjective and individual as to how someone might feel once they are a ‘survivor’ or ‘cured’.
I do feel the urge to help others who have been diagnosed, help them through this crazy cancer maze. I try to make myself available to anyone who needs support or just wants to talk or may want some advice. Sometimes I think people just want to know they are not alone. I do think it is the least I can do to let someone know I am there if they need me.
I try to help by posting my stories on my blog, contacting people through Twitter and letting people in my community know I am willing to talk with anyone going through cancer diagnosis and treatment.
As Annemiekeh commented above, it is a great way to team up against cancer. And by helping others, let’s face it…we help ourselves.
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Very much so. If my experience can help someone else through diagnosis and treatment, I owe it to them. If I can stop suffering — not all suffering, but any — I have to act. We can make a tremendous difference in people’s lives by living passionately after cancer.
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I TOTALLY AGREE!!!
As a 4 yr survivor, I feel an obligation to show others that you can survive! I believe by making every day the most that I can I show others how to LIVESTRONG. Whe I was going through treatment the thing that kept me going was seeing survivors 5 and 10 years out. I had to keep my eye on the prize. And it helped me get past the agony of chemo & radiation. I believe in this obligation so much I have led the LIVESTRONG Colorado group for 3 yrs now. We just hosted a rock concert last night that focused on telling young people to check their bodies monthly and be on the lookout for changes. All the effort was made worthwhile when some girls came up to me during the last band and asked me questions about self exams. That’s what it is all about-raising awareness and teaching people that it is ok to talk about these things. Cancer is scary no matter what. But we (the ones who have survived the battle) can show others that there is hope, that the newly diagnosed are not alone, and we can make it less scary. It is our obligation to show the world our success and share our needs. If we hide under the covers, no one will know the needs of cancer survivors and they won’t care enough to make it a priority to find a cure.
Congrats at reaching your 5yr milestone! I’ll be there next year!!
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Hi Linda, thanks so much for taking the time to comment here – it is such a great comment!
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I am a 2 time breast cancer survivor – first time was 2 1/2 years ago and the second time was 8 months ago. I am 41. The best thing I did was participate in the Avon two day walk for breast cancer. I was so tired of being Stacy the sick person, Stacy the cancer patient. I would like to say I did the 39 mile walk purely for altruistc reasons but to be honest it came from a more selfish place. I was training and logging all those miles to prove to myself I was no longer sick. Well something changed along the way. I was walking and raising money for those yet to be diagnosed, those all ready fighting and those who lost the fight. We need to raise much needed funds and awareness if we plan to rid our world of cancer. Our children depend on it.
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Hi Stacy, what a great comment!
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I do believe in the Obligation, not only of the Cured but of the Healthy as well. The chances of our lives not ever being touched by cancer, in one way or another, are becoming more remote every day that passes and the fact that many types of cancer are preventable and/or curable puts us all under the Obligation to spread the word on the matter.
The Cured bring Hope along in their journey. The Healthy MUST bring Awareness along in theirs. We owe it to one another…
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Like Chari and Annemieke, I am not a survivor but I do feel the obligation of the ‘ones left behind’. I guess in a sense having lost a loved one to cancer makes us survivors as well.
The pain and grief we have felt may be different than the pain and grief the actual survivors have gone through but I too feel the need to channel those emotions into something positive and constructive. The themes we choose and the tone of voice we use might be different because we lack the actual personal cancer experience but our experiences provide us with the same fuel and energy needed to fight this god aweful disease.
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I couldn’t have said it better Karen. You are right, we who haven’t heard the words “you have cancer” said to us directly don’t know how that feels. What we do know is what it is like to watch someone you love go through that and, in our case, loose loved ones to this disease. It leaves you angry, sad and with a deep sense of knowing “no-one should have to go through that again”. It motivates us to join the fight and connect with survivors to make sure that this disease will get its ugly butt kicked! Together the cured and the healthy will make a difference!
For me that mend becoming a local LiveStrong Leader and fight with all I’ve got to make sure that my loved ones won’t be forgotten and the disease that took them won’t take many more.
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I love the fact that people got involved with this discussion even without a cancer experience – you don’t need to have had cancer to feel an obligation in this way – we all have an obligation to the human race to help however and whenever you can
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I just lost the love of my life and my best friend to glioblastoma. I feel it is my obligation to help find a cure so other people do not have to endure the 18 month journey we did, and the angonizing pain that I live with everyday. All of us who are touched by cancer have an obligation. And those lucky ones who have not yet had this experience need to understand that it is only a matter of time….and they need to help too.
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Nancy, thank you for taking the time to comment here and I am so deeply sorry for your loss.
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