Wowed by Oncology

Poststructural Pub
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A month ago, I took an early retirement so I could spend time with my oldest friend, who’s battling terminal cancer in Boston. I’ve been living up here with him for three weeks now, and I’ll tell you, it’s been rough.

My friend — of about fifty years, (Woodstock tent-mate, Best Man at wedding, lifelong best pal, etc…) — has held up well, but he’s miserable now. I’m doing what I can to help, and today that will mean dragging him to Massachusetts General Hospital for three meetings with oncologists.

Anyway, this post is just to thank those doctors, who are my heroes. What a difficult job they do, against often terrible odds! Slowly but surely, they’re making advances. Major ones! Many forms of cancer are now fully treatable, and most or all might be within our lifetimes.

Please consider a small donation to cancer research next time those folks come asking. Little things add up, and reach real people like my friend Rob.

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Beans, you are doing something amazing, which most of us couldn’t do and cannot imagine. You’re a true friend, and Rob is lucky.

Canadians have been gobsmacked by the recent cancer death of Jack Layton, a very inspiring politician and fantastic person. He was my age. I think many of us will be donating in his memory.

Cancer touches everyone one way or another. It took my father at age 54 and we’ve all now outlived him.

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Good for you Beans, and well said.
I see the ravages of cancer practically every day in the OR, and it ain’t pretty. We’ve made great advances of some forms, but some are still painfully resistant. Definitely, support cancer research in any way you can.

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May we all have these type of friends and be these type of friends at times like this.

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Sorry to hear of your loss. I think you’ve earned your ‘friend indeed’ badge, and then some.