War metaphors abound when speaking aboutdisease.
My mother died of metastatic breast cancer in 2017 after being in and out of remission for 18 years.
Cancer isn’t a bully on the playground.
Chris Gould / Getty Images
It’s often invisible, intangible, a random mutation of cells.
Even the official statement posted on Bosemans Twitter account confirming his death refers to him as a true fighter.
Some people do find this language genuinely helpful.
But this overwhelmingly common throw in of language doesnt resonate with everyone.
Its no surprise, then, that thenovel coronavirushas conjured upsimilar metaphorical language.
The ubiquity of the cancer metaphor may reflect a cultural difficulty in the West withtalking about illness and death.
And when people frequently associate cancer with the latterdespite patient outcomes never having been betterits easy to understand why.
Molly S., 21, was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma in 2016 and is in remission.
I found that people who struggle to talk about cancer use these metaphors a lot more, she explains.
Indeed, chemo- and radiotherapy are known for killing cells, both malignant and healthy.
First, for many people, these metaphors inaccurately describe how itfeelsto go through cancer treatment.
I never felt like I was fighting anything.
I was mostly too ill to move, says Molly.
These metaphors also dont necessarily reflect cancers biological trajectory.
You live with cancer long after your treatment is finished, she says.
Whats more, we know that cancer can recur, like it did for my mom.
The idea that people can beat cancer implies that they are in control of their prognoses.
If a person doesnt respond well to treatment, this can make them feelguiltyand/orpersonally defeated.
Sarah N., 28, was diagnosed with stage III low-grade serous ovarian cancer in 2018.
To me, that would have implied that cancer had won and beat me, she says.
This accidental misplacing of blame becomes even crueler when we consider socioeconomic factors involved in cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Whats scary about disease is that, in spite of medical advances, our fate isnt in our hands.
Its stronger and more powerful than mind over matter.
She learned she had breast cancer four years after her twin sister received the same diagnosis.
Their responses couldnt have been more different.
Sarah felt completely gutted, while she says her twin chose to describe herself as a brave warrior.
She usesInstagramto provide information and support to others living with cancer.
But treating cancer isnt like a fight in a boxing ring or a conflict on the battlefield.
So what are the alternatives?
A journey may have both negative and positive aspects.
But this isnt a perfect alternative for everyone.
The reality is that for eight months, the only journeys I made were to the hospital.
