Cancer is one of those words I actually wish I never had to say. Such a simple word, only 6 letters and 2 syllables and yet the feelings it brings forth from within me are as numerous as the types of cancer one can have.
The birth of my son in July 2005, brought about new feelings towards the word cancer. I realized my son's astrological sign was Cancer. A water sign, known in the stars as the crab. At first I was alarmed, "Cancer!" But then thankfully, I realized, the two words were nothing close to the same. Amazingly and to my pleasure, one is an interesting tunnel to uniquely defining observations. Things I read about those with the astrological sign of Cancer are pleasing, interesting and thought provoking. My son loves to swim and play in the water so I must say, in regards to that attribute, he fits his sign to a T.
The opposite cancer is also thought provoking and if I were a medical person exploring cancer I imagine it would be empowering. The idea that I might be able to help in solving the mystery of the mutant cell.
Having been raised by a father who loved to talk about medicine, he and I shared in detailed conversations about cancer. When we would speak of cancer, we could step back from any personal affects it had on us and simply explore it. Two outsiders looking in. Why, you might ask. Because cancer cells are peculiar but mostly because it's unnatural for our body to fall captive to cancerous cells.
My son who is 9, asked me about cancer. How do you get it? Why do people get it? I was puzzled. How do I explain cancer to a 9 year old? I was worried about him. I could tell he was afraid of the word, afraid that people he loved were dying from the word. My son and I always have an easy time talking. We giggle over funny things, we explore the ideas behind different things, we just love to hang out and chat. I knew talking about cancer would be different but I also knew, we needed to talk about it. Here is the story I told my son.
"Charles, did you know your body is made up of cells? Whenever you get sick, your body sends out white blood cells or what I like to call, Storm Troopers. They're little fighters, dressed in white armor, ready to attack bad cells. Bad cells are trouble makers, dressed like ninja warriors, they wear black armor and they are ready to attack us.
White storm trooper cells attack cancer cells daily and win. They're strong and they destroy the bad cells carrying germs and viruses easily. However, bad cells called cancer, can be different. When a cancer cell enters the body, a white storm trooper, who is doing his job correctly, destroys it. That's it. Cancer is gone from your body and it's over. We should probably cheer!
However, sometimes a cancer cell enters the body and instead of the white storm trooper cell coming over and attacking it, it's shocked and surprised when the cancer cell wants to stop and chat awhile. Now the white cell should know better. It should know not to talk. It shouldn't have anything to say to the cancer cell. It should do its job. And what is that job? To destroy it! That's its job! That is what is was made to do. However, for some unknown reason, it stops to listen to the cancer cell. Find out what the cancer cell has to say. Can you guess what the bad cancer cell says? It says, 'come over and join us. You'll like it over here. It's fun!' The white storm trooper cell should know better, it should not join the ninjas but if it does, like some do, it will join and then it too will start asking other white storm troopers to come with him. Pretty soon these white cells that should have destroyed that cancer cell are becoming cancer cells too and now the bad cell army is growing.
As the size of this army grows and grows, that is when cancer becomes a problem for the body. Too many cancer cells make us sick. There is no reason, no understanding as to why white blood cells, who kill cancer cells, would decide not to destroy the cancer cells but actually join up with them. This is the problem doctors are trying to solve as well as how to kill the cancer cells when the body won't do it.
I think white blood cells or storm troopers become lazy. They are supposed to be doing their job! It knows its job and therefore, switching to the other side is unacceptable! In grandpa's case, when his storm troopers were losing the battle against the ninja cancer cells, he had to have doctors help him. They removed the cancer ninja cells and grandpa won. However, it only takes one trouble maker to start the battle again. The white storm troopers either fight, like they were made to, or join in with the ninja cancer cells and the battle begins again. Grandpa had to fight the battle a second time. He had a treatment that went after the cells and destroyed them and again he won! Grandpa 2. Cancer ZERO!
Grandpa was well for several years and it would seem his battle was over but everyone who's had cancer knows, 'watch for the sneak attack.' Cancer cells can hide in the body, hoping to be undiscovered because after all, if they were discovered, the white storm trooper cells would most likely destroy them. If they have a small army, they hide out and wait until they can gain cells and build up a bigger army then reemerge and the battle begins again, they're back fighting. Our body always tries to fight its own battle but often with cancer, doctors have to get involved and bring in special forces. Many times this works and like grandpa, you keep winning the battles.
However, on grandpa's third attack, the ninjas had gotten smarter. They had become more strategic and they had the doctors very confused as to where in the body they were gathering. If you can't find the bad guys, you can't destroy the bad guys. Therefore, grandpa lost. Like a good game of chess. Grandpa was able to call check twice but the third time they had him running and he was unable to get away. This time the cancer won. Check Mate!
Doctors are trying to understand why the white storm trooper cells join forces with the bad guys. They are trying to stop them from doing that. They are trying to help them understand they have a job to do."
My son understood this story and even though it was frustrating and made him angry he understood what happened. He also plays chess, he understood the check, and the checkmate and it made us both cry. He did not like that the cancer had his grandpa running. He told me, "I've done that with my King before mom and it feels awful. You just know you're gonna die."
Even though he felt sad about his grandpa, he told me he understands. When someone gets cancer they don't always die. He knows the body is fighting and he knows who is doing the fighting and why. He also is grateful doctors can be there to help.
I told him his astrological sign Cancer, has nothing to do with the ninjas. "He's a crab in the water silly!"
S.
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