Lifting the lid

I was heartened last evening, while watching my local news programme, to find that a reporter on that programme has decided to allow cameras into the radiotherapy treatment room during his own treatment for cancer. I think it does help demystify the process and demonstrate that it's really not as scary as you may imagine. You can see his story at: Colin's Story. Read more about it here: Beyond the fear of cancer.

Good on him for agreeing to this. I wish I'd thought to offer access to my own treatment. Returning to an earlier theme from this blog, the more we show what it's like to be treated and the more we talk about cancer and its effect on our lives, the less frightening a cancer diagnosis should become. After all, "there is nothing to fear but fear itself", and once the curtains are drawn back and you can see what happens, that fear is likely to diminish. So, if you've had cancer, talk about it, how it made you feel to be told, what effect it had on your life - and if you haven't had cancer but know someone who has, don't avoid talking about it with them. They can provide you with an insight into what to expect if you're ever diagnosed, and, like a bereavement, there's nothing more irritating than having people tiptoeing around, avoiding mentioning something because of either their sensitivities or because they think they might upset you!