Sorry in advance for the complete lack of humour and general pointless bitching
Dear Cancer,

You know, for something that starts out as a simple break in DNA affecting no more than 7 genes in a single cell, you really are a complete bastard.

Your Krukenberg buddy took away my Grandma last year and I watched her die slowly. The only thing that got her through it was her faith in God, which is not my way of thinking but hey, it helped her mentally beat you.

You took away my best friend's dad before he was 50, leaving my mate to deal with everything because his mum and sister couldn't cope with the loss: congrats. You've turned one of the nicest people ever into a borderline alcoholic with acute depression and insomnia.

You are slowly killing my friend and mother of four, and for this, I truly, truly hate you.

You have affected virtually everyone I know in one way or another and are a complete cunt for this.

I know that this letter is completely pointless and really doesn't change the fact that you are a petty, ugly disease. Bitching isn't going to change anything and there are thousands of people out there who are positivly kicking your metastasizing, uncontrollably proliferating arse every day.

One day, we will have your number and you will not be able to hurt people again.

Yours (defiant 'til then end)

SSMTB
(satanstolemyteddybear Mu hõljuk on angerjaid täis, Sun 7 Mar 2010, 12:50, 7 replies)

I clicked
"I Like this" for agreeing with it, not for liking the subject matter

Yep my mother went from metastatic liver cancer. Trouble is the liver is a wonderful thing that keeps going until there is almost nothing left. Then you find the symptoms. By then its too late.

Cancer not a good thing
(Sir Tainley Barking Ezekiel 23:20, Sun 7 Mar 2010, 14:35, closed)

If it helps
and it might not, but just so you know. I'm in the last year of my chemistry degree and will start my PhD into trying to understand the causes of Alzheimers in October. There are so many of us out there who care - I know so many people who have dedicated their lives to trying to find a cure for cancer, and who have had some minor victories on the way. Working as a research chemist is a calling for so many of us, I feel it's my calling and when the going gets hard I remember that one day I could actually make a difference. Have faith, science will win, one day.
(Petite chien is going to do science to it, Sun 7 Mar 2010, 16:00, closed)

Hey
Randon q but where are you based?
I'm doing a Master's in biochemistry and one of my final courses is on cancer biology. In a very morbid way it is completely fascinating to realise te steps that have been amde but also what is still being done and how people really are trying to beat this thing. Yeah it comes down to money from companies who think they can make a packet out of some new drug but it is awesome to see people who care!
(satanstolemyteddybear Mu hõljuk on angerjaid täis, Sun 7 Mar 2010, 16:39, closed)

Uni Sussex
and have a place to do my PhD at Cambridge, very exciting! I'm in the last year of my MChem, my research project has been looking into the synthesis of quantum dots as new fluorescent molecules for single molecule microscopy. Gaz me if you want to know more! The money thing makes me angry, it's really the reason why I don't want to research in industry, at least in academia a lot more money goes on the research and less into people's pockets.
(Petite chien is going to do science to it, Sun 7 Mar 2010, 16:47, closed)

Who will be your superviser in Cambridge?
I know some people in the chemistry dep' (did mine there a while ago).
( Ugi , it's a game of give and cake, Mon 8 Mar 2010, 18:51, closed)

Took My Bro' too....
... at the age of 31. He seems to be the subject of all of my QotW posts, but hey ho. It's been 3 years. I don't think I shall ever be the same.

However, we were told to say goodbye to my mother when she had metastatic bowel cancer 12 years ago and she currently plays vollyball twice a week aged 73. The drugs do work - sometimes. And they are getting better.

I was a chemist but now work in IP - I help some small pharma companies get patents for their products and those patents allow them to reach the market. Last week one client got a distribution license for something that will help stop those on chemo getting the severe mouth ulcers that can be so painful they have to be fed through a tube. It's not a wonder-drug, but if you need constant morphine for the pain of the side effects then these little things help.

*click*
( Ugi , it's a game of give and cake, Mon 8 Mar 2010, 18:50, closed)

Oh I agree,
The drugs definitely are getting better. For example, in China they have patented the world's first commercial gene therapy for cancer. They are using adenoviruses to target cells that specifically lack p53 to try and restore the gene function to allow apoptosis of the cancer cells, thereby destroying the tumour. And it is self limiting: the virus doesn't attack normal cells because they express transient levels of p53. Kinda neat really.

I mean it only works in specific forms, but it's pretty good!
(satanstolemyteddybear Mu hõljuk on angerjaid täis, Mon 8 Mar 2010, 19:22, closed)