“I keep dreaming of a future with a long and healthy life, not lived in the shadow of cancer but in the light” — Patrick Swayze.
A common practice of society is that when people are suffering, whether because of physical, financial or emotional reasons, others tend to judge them from a punitive perspective, on account of some past wrongdoing. Where misery-inflicted persons undergo terminal disease, it is mostly attributed to destiny and their inability to fend for themselves; that is why innumerable charity organisations have sprouted, mostly to boost their own financial standing and maybe help out a few needy.
The majority dole out some money to temporarily provide relief, but they do not teach the destitute to stand on their own two feet, and perhaps this is the reason that, despite thousands of non-governmental entities, misery, poverty, and disease keep growing at phenomenal levels.
However, appreciating or criticising those who are spending their money on uplifting the wretched is not the intention here. The question is why, when there is so much abundance in the world, but where 41% of global wealth is in the hands of less than 1% elites and citizens, a good chunk afflicted with terminal diseases and poverty is forced to look up to this minority for aid?
Another tantalising question is, why does such a fatal disease strike those who cannot afford its treatment? There are no recorded official statistics regarding the number of destitute patients, but according to studies, “cancer disproportionately affects low and middle-income countries, where populations often have less access to healthcare, diagnosis, and treatment, leading to higher mortality rates”.
Unlike pandemics like COVID-19, plague, smallpox, cholera, bird flu, etc., cancer is not contagious, yet almost every other family has a relative or friend who is or was a patient of this deadly ailment. A few decades back, its impact was not as profound as it is today.
Cancer survivors deserve accolades, for they are living examples of resilience and optimism
This is mainly because of longer life span, making the aged more vulnerable, environmental toxins, including intake of unhealthy/processed foods, and advanced medical diagnostics that detect cancerous cells now even in very nascent stages. This disease is not new but is ancient, having existed in both internal and external forms. In the Indian Sub-continent, when it appears on the skin, it is known as jaranwala phorha (boil with roots).
Due to multiple reasons and the fact that victims today are younger, the grave nature of this malady is more intense. The assumption usually is that old age brings on illnesses and younger ones are healthier, but studies conducted over the last forty years show a significant rise in young cancer patients. Between 1990 and 2019, the age of the affected population was noted in the range of 14 to 49 years, indicating an alarming trend.
Cancer is caused by damage to DNA and genetic changes resulting in genomic instability and uncontrolled, absurd cell growth. This happens due to factors at home and at work, like environmental exposure to tobacco smoke, alcohol, certain food additives, artificial colours, ultraviolet/nuclear waste radiation, some chemicals and substances like asbestos, benzene and arsenic, etc. Then lifestyle choices (like being sedentary and lacking physical activity), infectious agents (like some viruses and bacteria), and inherited genetic mutations.
One factor that remains ignored or scientifically unacknowledged is negative energy created by negative thoughts, stress and emotional tensions. These may not be principal causes, but their persistence can culminate in unhealthy behavioural patterns that may induce insomnia, obesity, poor dietary intake, sullenness, addiction, which may ultimately reduce immunity to a dangerous point that could convert an ailment into cancer.
In people who are already affected, these things can aggravate the disease and decelerate the process of recovery. They say that everything (including the words we utter and the thoughts we think) produces energy, and one of its properties is that it flows within a body and from one body to another. Depending upon one’s approach, this energy flow can be utilised to either benefit or inflict harm on oneself.
Various forms of known energy include kinetic (motion), potential (e.g. gravitational and elastic), thermal (molecular motion corresponding to temperature), chemical (e.g. fossil fuels and batteries), radiant (light), electrical (through electrons), sound (vibrations) and last but not least, ‘smile’ energy. Smiles tend to stimulate the brain to release feel-good hormones like dopamine, endorphins and mood-improving serotonin. This crucial energy is a source of improving interpersonal relationships, lowering blood pressure and increasing tolerance to pain.
The positive side of cancer is that despite its lethal tentacles, it can be cured if discovered in early stages. In some extreme and miraculous cases, like that of Mark Nepo and Anita Moorjani, a patient can recover fully from even stage four.
Different interviews conducted with these survivors who had to pass through the most adverse situations disclose that where negativity led them to failing health, positivity and the urge to live helped them in not only defeating death but also restoring their lives as normal functioning individuals. Cancer survivors deserve accolades, for they are living examples of resilience and optimism.
In our efforts to make this world a better place, we must remember to spread more positive energy through our words, actions and thoughts. We need to first take care of ourselves, be more grateful and kind to one and all, work hard and try to be in the company of those who share our sentiments. Together, we can overcome the negatives around us or reduce their numbers to an extent that everything on earth is transformed into a place where human beings can treat adversities with our energetic positivity.