A New Strategy for the War on Cancer - 3
Yesterday’s post in the series of previews of my book, A New Strategy for the War on Cancer, I summarized the worst three years of my life as I lost my wife and my first grandchild to cancer. Today, I want to share a little more of what has stirred my heart to write this book.
As I was researching in initial preparation for the book, my eldest brother, Verl, died of lung cancer. Less than a year later, another brother, Dale, died of a rare cancer that attacked his heart. Neither smoked, and both led healthy, active lifestyles. Their lengthy treatment confined them to the bed most of the time.
My niece, in her early forties, currently strives to raise two teenagers although at times practically immobilized by her treatment for breast cancer. One of my best friends has dealt with cervical cancer for over seven years. She continues in and out of chemotherapy. Both of these lively women’s identity of vitality, beauty, and strength has given way to constant exhaustion, nausea, hair loss, and feelings of hopelessness. Another of my best friends was recently diagnosed with recurring breast cancer on the fifth anniversary of being declared cancer-free from the first bout.
If you haven’t experienced cancer, someone very close to you most assuredly has. It has invaded the very heart of our culture. We must–we absolutely must–find a more promising way to wage this war. It is time to deploy the unconventional forces. Keep the conventional operation going, but open up the battlefield to combatants that are not of the mainstream. Both conventional and unconventional forces fighting side-by-side as one will overwhelm the enemy. And it will be defeated!
Watch for more on the book in this blog.