Cancer is Big Business

The USA Mitchell Cancer Institute has been open about a year in Mobile, AL. There is an article in this morning's paper about how successful it has been, and how patient visits are expected to top 40,000 next year. What irony. Success is defined as many sick people. Or, I suppose, in the eyes of the bean counters, if they're going to go someplace, at least they're coming to you. There's a lot of hype in the last 40 years about "finding a cure" for cancer. Forty years. No results. Just hype. Every October pink ribbons abound for "awareness" of women's breasts. Hello, you think men haven't already noticed? Please. I read a book a dozen years ago called Why We Will Never Win the War on AIDS. One reason is the same for which we'll never win the "War on Cancer." There is too much money to be made in treating and politicizing it. No money is to be made if a cure is found. You won't find me running in Relay for Life. You won't find me sporting pink ribbons. You might, however, find me praying for and crying over those I've lost to Cancer. Or taking my elderly friends to the bank, the grocery store, radiation appointments, and so on. Substance over style. No hype. No money. Just quietly meeting the needs of the sick and infirm.