And still they come

It seems to me that there have been a lot of cases of "celebrities" being diagnosed with varous forms of cancer recently. Here's another one: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8657122.stm. Although the diagnosis here was very recent, it's interesting to read the headline that suggests the battle has been won... For those of us with insider knowledge, that really isn't the case at this stage, but maybe the idea is to demystify cancer and to suggest that it can be beaten (which is increasingly absolutely true).

This is a case of real life imitating drama, so has the potential to be doubly effective and also to give the actor an insight into cancer that can be shared with a wider audience. All these cases, sad though they are, raise the profile of cancer charities and emphasise the need for funds to support cancer research. I wonder, though, why increasing numbers of well-known people are coming forward to share their own story with the public; is it that more are being diagnosed or that more are prepared to admit to their diagnosis, perhaps with the intention of helping others? I hope it's the latter.