Dear Cancer,
When I hear your name affiliated with the name of any person on this planet, my heart sinks. I sympathize with the close friends and family who are buckling themselves in for the roller coaster they are about to endure. My heart drops even further and my body goes numb when it’s a name I recognize.
How the fuck could you do this to people? Cause them so much pain, suffering, and emotional turmoil.
You not only affect the victim of your cruel disease, but every person around that person fighting as well. Although I’ve never directly had a run in with you, you’ve happened to have target numerous of my friends and family. And with each time you make a dreaded appearance, I can’t help but hate you even more.
You have haunted the minds of so many family members who were left behind because you took their loved ones away or caused someone unthinkable pain. Their painful screams and grunts, cries of frustration and horror and images of their helpless body that’s not the one we used to know are all things that are ingrained in our minds. It isn’t the last memories we wish to have with our loved ones before we become separated.
If we’ve thought, “how could this happen?” once, we’ve thought it a million times.
You have made me, and several others question our faith. How could God allow you to steal someone’s child, parent, friend, and partner? How dare this horrible disease target the best, most pure people on the planet? Bad things happen to good people, and they don’t deserve to suffer in your grip. And despite countless prayers, very few victory miracles have occurred. How could God let that happen?
You have stolen a contagious smile from any individual who has been touched by you. And sometimes you’ve taken the ability to ever smile again. And that’s not just for the person who lost their grueling battle; it’s also for the ones who surrounded their casket to mourn their loss.
You stole basic abilities and precious memories from those enduring your storm. You took people who inspired us by their ability to conquer all obstacles and destroyed their ability and will to live. Birthdays and other major milestones celebrated in hospital rooms are never in anyone’s plans. But little do most people know, the day they leave for the hospital might be the last time they’re ever home. Their freedom to live a normal life was unwillingly taken from them the second they hear the diagnosis.
You have created an uneasy anxiety in millions of people. “Will today be the day?” “When are they going to tell me there’s nothing else they can do?” “I pray they aren’t alone when the moment comes.” “Will this ever happen to me?” “Are they being visited at the hospital?” “I wonder if I’ll just die and not even know it’ll happen before it does.” “Why did cancer choose me?”
I’m sick of all the bullshit you put people through. Why do you exist? Why are you so common? Do you really have to be so aggressive and attack innocent people? Why?
Cancer, you are the most violent, vengeful, spiteful and hideous thing that has ever happened to humanity. You even beat hate. Because you don’t target any specific person, you pick people despite their age, health or personal life. You don’t discriminate, and sometimes I wish you would so you could leave the most wonderful people alone for once.
I can’t express how much I hate you and wish you could go away so we never have to see another person struggle, lose one more life to you or hear your stupid name again. I want you to leave my loved ones alone; we’ve suffered enough because of you.
But sadly I know there’s nothing I can do to prevent you. All I can do is offer support to victims of your cruelty, and make donations to organizations to help end you once and for all. But I do have to tell you one more thing,
Fuck you, Cancer.
Featured image via Brett Sayles on Pexels
