Fighting Cancer?

If you haven't noticed the abundance of pink this month, you've had your eyes closed.  This month is breast cancer awareness month and the "pink" is everywhere.  The NFL has allowed it's players to wear pink, there are runs and walks almost everyday.  The White House is even bathed in pink lights at night.  This is a national event that anyone with cancer should be pleased with, right?  Wrong!  I have been doing a lot of reading lately and the number of articles that have been written about cancer victims who are upset with "pinktober" is unbelievable to me.  The complaints range from people who are upset with the amount of money that actually goes to cancer research, to people who feel that breast cancer is hogging the "cancer spotlight".  I've read articles about people who are upset that to much money is going to prevention and not enough is being given to terminal patients.  There have been other articles that seem to pit one cancer against the other.  Stories being written about how breast cancer is ok to talk about while colon cancer is not have been popping up during this month.  Are these just good journalists taking the opportunity to "strike while the iron is hot" and write about the dark side of cancer awareness programs or is it something else?  I think it is the latter.  I think the reason for the complaining is because this is what we have learned to expect as a society.  Conflict, finger pointing and blame has become the norm.  I call it the "Reality TV Syndrome".  It seems like everything we see on TV or read in the news involves a negative spin to the story.  Now it has entered into the cancer arena.  Isn't cancer negative enough? Do we have to make it worse by creating teams that rip on one another?  Colon cancer vs Breast cancer vs Leukemia.  Research vs prevention vs terminal care.  ENOUGH ALREADY!  Nobody asked to get cancer.  It happened, now deal with it in a positive way.  There is nothing wrong with questioning why or why me,  but don't blame other cancer victims for your situation.  Don't tell your story about how you are getting ripped off because you are not getting the amount of money from fundraisers that you feel is proportionate to the severity of your cancer.  Don't complain to the news stations that your kind of cancer is not getting enough recognition.  All this conflict is great for ratings, but it is bad for the cause, finding a cure for cancer.  I watched the Packers/Colts football game last Sunday.  I was concerned that the coverage of the recent cancer diagnosis of the Colts head coach was going to be separated from the breast cancer awareness campaign.  This did not happen.  It did not turn into Leukemia vs Breast cancer, it was just cancer and everyone seemed to agree it's time to end it.  As I said before, cancer is negative all by itself.  It doesn't need to cause any more conflict than it already does.  I believe it is very important that we use all the energy, both positive and negative, to fight cancer, not each other.  If you feel the need to talk to someone because you are having a tough time may I suggest you start with God, not a reporter.  Conflict makes you bitter, prayer makes you better.  Keep praying!