The Emperor of All Maladies

I'm reading a book of the same title.  2010 Pulitzer prize winner.  Highly recommend!

If you think cancer is very remote, think again.  1 in 3 women, 1 in 2 men, will have cancer, projected as of 2010.  1/4 of deaths is from cancer. 

If you have a very healthy life style -- eat right, exercise, stress-minimized; you have never needed to visit doctors except for annual exams; your family healthy history is as clean as it gets, you don't need to worry about cancer, do you?

Do you feel reassured whenever you read some article about anti-cancer food and lifestyle and nodding to yourself that you have done exactly that and feel bad for those who don't have good habits as you do?  I have to admit that I used to be that kind of person. 

Lucas's being treated for cancer makes me feel more humbled than ever.  We always talk about kids growing up and we getting old.  I just heard a comment saying "I have to get better habits so I don't feel sick and miserable when I'm old."  You know what?  I will be so happy if my Lucas can actually get old!  I will be so happy if I can leave this world before he does. 

Take nothing for granted.  You are healthy not just because you have done everything right.  You are healthy because you are blessed.  I'm not trying to downplay the importance of healthy lifestyle, but please don't judge those who are less fortunate than you.

I feel immensely grateful for all the kids and their families who were in clinical trials in the past 60 years.  I will summarize the history of childhood leukemia treatment in a later post.