by Iva Skoch
The idea of Cancertainment is a topic I'm really interested in. I have mentioned before that when I was sick, having a sense of humor about the situation (difficult as that might seem) helped me cope with my more feelings, and deprive cancer of some of its power over me. I was aware of the the benefits of this approach very early in the experience, when I made a dark joke from my hospital bed that eased the tension and anxiety of the friends and family who were visiting. In order to stay positive, I needed the people around me to be positive, and humor was a tool that could instantly level the emotional playing field. Later, I went on to create Cancer Battle 1 and 2 and a short series of Laughstrong comics, taking this idea a step further. I confess that I felt like I had come up with this approach myself. No one, not even my doctors, informed me about any of the multitude of cancer web sites, blogs, and resources that were out there for young adults. I feel that this is a grossly under-represented cancer demographic, and clearly many 20-30 year olds feel the same, as the emergent culture of Cancertainment continues to grow and develop.
Some really terrific quotes from Ive Skoch's article, all of which I experienced myself, almost exactly as she describes:
- They coined the term "cancertainment" to describe the growing subculture of young cancer patients seeking both more information and a space to indulge in inside jokes
- I Googled 'colon cancer'. Within seconds, I found out that my cancer stage, advanced stage IIIC, gave me a 44 percent chance to survive five years. I swore I would never use the Internet to research colon cancer again. (That promise lasted all of five days)
- I started receiving books, stacks of self-help volumes from well-meaning people. Books claiming that cancer was hate materialized in the body of people who don't love enough. Books promising you can cure cancer by drinking wheat-grass juice. It made me want to throw up, even before my chemotherapy regimen started and I became a vomiting expert. I was too cynical to believe herbal remedies were going to cure me but unwilling to venture onto medical Web sites, where the depressing prognosis stats were lurking, ready to scare the hell out of me."
- Young people want to talk about different issues that the typical cancer patient might consider taboo: How do I have sex with a colostomy bag? How do I masturbate in a hospital? Will I have to choose between chemo and grad school?
- Dr. Jimmie Holland: "For most patients, cancer is the most difficult and frightening experience they have ever encountered... emphasis on positive attitude invalidates people's natural and understandable reactions to a deadly disease. "Many negative, pessimistic people survive cancer, while others who believe positive attitudes will cure it do not. I do not believe for an instant that people whose cancer progresses have a weaker spirit or character than anyone else."
- The Mercury Bar in New York's Hell's Kitchen... cancer patients and survivors below the age of 40 got together in May for a regular happy hour organized by I'm Too Young For This!... The invitation promised the event would attract people "who don't care whether you have one boob, one ball, two ports or even a hyperactive platelet count"
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