Blanket terms

I am such a grumpy old woman, I realise. I'm now outraged by a survey on disability that I was asked to complete. An explanation of what constitutes "disability" was included, and I was most put out to see "cancer" on the list. I mentioned this broad brush approach a long time ago, in relation to a job application form that insisted because I've had cancer that I should tick the "disabled" box. Now, cancer can be disabling, it can lead to conditions that are disabling but to presuppose that everyone who has or who has had cancer is disabled is offensive not only to those, like me, who aren't disabled and who never have been, but also to people who are disabled. When will HR departments realise that "cancer" is far too broad a term to use in this context?

I grew up with a parent who was seriously disabled, and to think that I, healthy as I now am should be classed as having a disability is an insult to my parent, whose strength of will resulted in overcoming - or at least ignoring - the disability.

So, if cancer has been disabling, then there isn't a problem in saying so, but surely there has to be some recognition that not every cancer patient is disabled as a result?