This topic comes up regularly on patient forums, twitter, Facebook….. in fact everywhere! Personally, I don’t tend to get too excited about it, although there can be extremes. Most people (not all) are just stumped to know exactly what to say. Even as a person with cancer, I sometimes feel awkward when faced with someone I just found out has a serious illness. It’s really difficult to know what to say, knowing how they might react and it’s particularly difficult if you don’t really know the person, for example on social media, you could be talking to someone who you have never met, you don’t know anything about them; and they may not even speak English as a first language (those who have tried google/twitter or Facebook translator, will know it’s not perfect!).
I’ve dabbled in this arena before with my blogs “I look well but you should see my insides” and “You must be doing OK, you’ve not had chemotherapy”.
This video was produced by BBC and shared by my friends in Macmillan Cancer Support, and it’s getting a huge number of comments and opinions. Someone suggested it should have been entitled “Things to say to someone with cancer” and there’s something in that I guess – although I suspect it’s just as difficult!
Personally, I think there’s no right or wrong answer. However, I know a lot of you guys will enjoy the video below
Thanks for reading and watching!
In my early days, I liked some of the special cards designed by Emily McDowell, a cancer survivor. She now a thriving business which started with cancer emphathy cards. This is one of my favourites:
I can see my invisible illness – click here
Things not to say to a cancer patient – click here
Shame on you! – click here
I look well but you should see my insides – click here
Things are not always how they seem – click here
Things are not always how they seem Part 2 – click here
Not every illness is visible – click here
Not the stereotypical picture of sick – click here
An Ode to Invisible Illness – click here
Poker Face or Cancer Card – click here
I don’t look sick, sorry not sorry – click here
Dear Doctors – there’s no such thing as a good cancer – click here
You must be doing OK; you’ve not had chemotherapy – click here
Thanks for reading.
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