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Murray Waas on Prejudice Against Cancer Survivors, Including Him

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Thu Dec 21, 2006 at 09:40:21 PM EST
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Kudos to Murray Waas for writing this brave article at HuffPo.

Shame on the Washington City Paper, which I vow never to read, and on Murray's former research assistant.

I am never suprised to see ignorant, debased statements about alleged criminals, but cancer survivors? This is a new low.

Murray ends his article with these heartfelt comments:

As to the allegation that the experience of having almost died of cancer at an early age, and the aftermath of that, has made me a broken person, I think that I speak for many others when I say that while having had cancer was a nightmare, it also taught me much about compassion, resiliency, toughness, and tolerance that I would have never been able to contemplate otherwise.

Much of the good I have done for others in my lifetime has been because I am a cancer survivor.

As to the charge that I am somehow less of a person, or broken from the experience, I believe I speak for many others when I simply say this:

It is from the wellspring of our despair and the places that we are broken that we come to repair the world.

Murray, the blogosphere loves you. Happy Holidays, and this too will pass.

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    Murray Waas on Prejudice Against Cancer Survivors, Including Him | 5 comments (5 topical)

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    Wow (none / 0) (#1)
    by aw on Thu Dec 21, 2006 at 10:21:56 PM EST
    The Washington City Paper sounds like it's run by a bunch of psychotics (or maybe government interrogators.) Weird.

    this has to be (none / 0) (#2)
    by cpinva on Thu Dec 21, 2006 at 11:26:16 PM EST
    a fairly recent development. the city paper didn't used to be like that, it was very much a reflection of the actual residents of D.C., a reasonably caring bunch.

    i am saddened that it appears to have evolved into a "national enquirer" wannabe.

    Waas is absolutely right (none / 0) (#3)
    by koshembos on Fri Dec 22, 2006 at 01:33:33 AM EST
    When I discovered that I have a potentially terminal disease, it changed me in a positive way. The struggle teaches you "much about compassion, resiliency, toughness, and tolerance that [I] would have never been able to contemplate otherwise."

    Survivor (none / 0) (#4)
    by squeaky on Fri Dec 22, 2006 at 01:28:21 PM EST
    Being a cancer survivor doesn't make everyone more compassionate, i.e.: Rudy Guiliani. Maybe nothing can help an Authoritarian Narcissist

    This is only a small step toward... (none / 0) (#5)
    by Bill Arnett on Fri Dec 22, 2006 at 01:46:35 PM EST
    ...isolating cancer survivors. I know, as I am one.

    The big drive by the bush maladministration for the computerization of medical records is to facilitate the ability of employers to learn of your health history prior to hiring you. That way they can minimize the exposure of the medical plans that they offer, or just not hire you to begin with, or just refuse to offer you company provided insurance.

    It is bad now and will get worse. If I were not 100% disabled and therefore obtaining care and life insurance from the government I would be up sh*t creek.

    I am blessed to be living 9-miles away from one one of the finest clinics the VA has in California (not a hospital, just a clinic) and the SF VA Hospital is only 25-miles away, and the medical care I receive there is top-notch (they have tracked me from day one very carefully as I had two rare cancers that warranted a 1,200 page pathology report from Harvard Medical School). I shudder to think what my medicines for a year would cost.

    But the life insurance available to me will not cover my family's expenses for even one year.

    I am totally uninsurable for either health plans or any civilian company provided life insurance.

    Now bush, besides computerizing records, is trying to put into force a policy that would make AIDs testing for all citizens mandatory.

    Why? See the above.

    Murray Waas on Prejudice Against Cancer Survivors, Including Him | 5 comments (5 topical)

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