Some days I write off as being "cancer days". These are days in which my mind dwells rather more than normal, and not at all prductively, upon that malign bundle of cells which may develop the urge to do me in.
It's a strange situation for me. Having spent my life attending to external difficulties, having to look within as well just becomes annoying.
And I keep returning to the treatment options. As anyone familiar with this type of cancer knows, the options are uniformaly crap. If anyone waves a tin under my nose on release, asking for a donation to cancer research, I will pin them with a cynical eye and demand to know what the hell they have to show for the billions they have used over the last 40 years!
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It all goes to breast cancer... so get your tits out for the labs.
ReplyDeleteI don't wish cancer on anyone, but it is self inflicted to a point. We all may get cancer, but we bring it on by an unhealthy diet, smoking, drinking too much etc. It is not something you catch like the flu. Or we can choose to live a healthy life, and do our best to avoid it.
ReplyDeleteOf couse big phama have a lot of vested interest in people being ill, no profit in well people, and the pharmicutical industry is the third biggest in the world. They also use animals in their useless research. It is down to everyone to look after themselves, (not easy in prison i guess). No, i wouldn't give cancer research a penny.
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteYou demonstrate your ignorance. Cancer can be caused by lifestyle factors, but is is also very commonly a random event that can happen to anyone. The more we learn about cancer, the more we discover that more of them than we ever thought possible are likely to be caused by viruses. The science is fascinating and it most certainly can be "something you catch like the flu".
I am disgusted by people who blame cancer suffers for their disease.
Virtually none of the research into cancer is carried out by big pharma, most of it is done by researchers in academic institutes who do what they do for the love of studying something they are interested in and because they want to help people and move society forward. Yes, some (not 'most' and certainly not 'all') do research using animal models, but it is far from 'useless' and it doesn't involve evil scientists in white coats rubbing noxious chemicals into animals eyes, as you no doubt imagine.
Please go and find out a bit about the subject you are decrying before you parade your ignorance in a public forum.
Perhaps you would consider getting in touch with you local university and asking them if they have any scientists conducting cancer research? I'm sure they'd be happy to talk to you about what they are doing and it might stop you shooting your mouth off in future.
As for Ben, most men who die of old age die with prostate cancer, but not of it. It's very very common and, while the treatment options may be a bit rubbish, it's usually very slow growing, if it grows at all beyond a certain point. If your going to get the big C, prostate is the one to get. Ben isn't dying yet.
I doubt that's much comfort in the small dark hours of the morning though, so love to Ben.
@Anon.
ReplyDeletePeople make mistakes. Personally, I can't properly use two of my fingers because of some idiocy relating to a cliff and a glowstick when I was 15. Whilst some decisions are more foolish than others, any mistake can cause us major consequences. So even if it was the case that cancers where mostly down to lifestyle (which they are not) then surely the most human thing is still to recognise that mistakes are made and to show compassion for those that suffer.
And yes, smoking is risky and can lead to endless health problems but I highly doubt that you have never risked life or limb in some way and I'm fairly certain that had you been injured you would have wanted the benefit of the centuries of medical research available to us.
I am really shocked by the first two comments here, given the nature of Ben's post. Jimmygiro I shouldn't even bother replying to you as I know whatever anyone says you will not change your warped view of the world. Apart from asking, what exactly are you doing to make life more bearable for others? Are you involved in fund-raising for research into prostate cancer? If not, why not start.
ReplyDeleteAnon - I really didn't know there are people walking around that think all cancer can be blamed on the victim's lifestyles. Just in my smallish circle, I have known three women with breast cancer, one of whom sadly died, all of normal weight and non-smokers. I'm sure we could all think of similar examples. Also I agree with Tallguy, we ought to have compassion even on those who seem to have caused their own illnesses. Let's look at what caused them to smoke, take drugs, have eating disorders etc. People who get their kicks from dangerous sports are just as 'guilty' of being foolhardy with their health.
Let's stop judging others and start to examine our own lifestyles instead. No-one's perfect.
Ben, wishing you peace of mind, as many studies have shown that if you can keep a positive outlook despite your illness it can help a great deal. What a difficult time for you; you're in my prayers. Jules
@Jules re Jimmygiro's comment: what's warped about it, the focus has well and truly been on breast cancer for at least 30 years and to such an extent that other charities suffer and are sqeezed out of funding opportunities for researching other diseases and illnesses.
ReplyDeleteJust today I was listening to my local radio station and yes folks it's that time of year again when women's cancers get the spotlight and get star sponsorship billing on the station.
You'd think just for once they'd consider men's health but of course feminists don't do that because as far as most of them are concerned men are the enemy or second class citizens.
Ffs who is this w*nker? Like men don't get breast cancer. Stupid man constantly pitting men against women. He is going to drag your blog right down the swanny Ben and ed.
ReplyDeleteLOL, that's right men get breast cancer hence that's why there's so many organisations setup to go after any available donations! FOOL.
ReplyDeleteBan & Ed can you ban this person because I don't like what they are saying..
Both men and women get breast cancer and each one of us should be treated equally you utter prat. You are not only sowing seeds of division but you are also menacing, not to mention being an utter drag.
ReplyDeleteLOL you bloody fool any divisions have been created by feminists, not me, but people like you. Even now you are trying to fool people with your stupid reasoning but being honest is not one of your talents is it?
ReplyDeleteFrom today's Telegraph
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/3sdk2yv
Looks like the research didn't bother with men and neither did the Journalist.
I feel sorry for you anonymous @7.47 and 7.53, and I will pray for you that you overcome the sorry-for-yourself feelings that you have, the feelings that you are put upon and discriminated against because you are a man.
ReplyDeleteIf financial regimes, the daily telegraph and researchers don't recognise breast cancer in men, that is hardly the fault of a blogger, a blog commenter or Joe Bloggs for that matter and I speak as a man who has suffered from breast cancer.
It is a hard life for us all, the way you antagonise people here does not help anyone.
Incidently, how old are you? because you act like you have a long way to go before you reach maturity.
This Blog is supposed to be a place of reasoned intelligent debate regarding the prison service. If you want to troll go and find a feminist blog and troll that, don't do it here.
ReplyDeleteNo need to feel sorry for me as I stand by my original comment and am completely comfortable with myself, you on the other hand basically do nothing more than spout out abuse as if your life and believe mechanisms depended upon it.
ReplyDeleteNow a suggestion for you might be to engage what little brain you have and make comments in a civil manner, do not talk as if you speak for everyone and finally don't try and make excuses ie financial regimes and ignorance, whilst in a previous comment making claims it's all about equality.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame Ben, you seem to be attracting a lot of haters lately.
ReplyDeleteAnon @ 8.26am....'calling someone a troll when they are dealing with idiots who don't do much more than insult'????
Shows you know all about intelligence doesn't it?
@queenie Indeed and perhaps you'd like to explain how you've added to this "debate"?
ReplyDeleteAnyone else getting the mental image of a 5"6 weedy guy who goes and sits in a pub with a coke and tried to suck up to the people he regards as "more manly" (whatever that actually means), fails, and then brings his two inch long penis back to his mum's house which he hasn't ever left and then tries desperately to make himself feel big and cool by posting anonymous comments before logging onto a porn site because no woman has ever done anymore than give him a pitying look.
ReplyDeleteSee, I can insult people to. Does this make me big? Does it make me clever? Does it make everything I say perfect and right? Does it mean I automatically win this debate? Can I have a cookie now?
Anyone else have the image of a 5"6 weedy man who goes out to a pub and has a diet coke just so he can feel a little bit more "manly" and then goes home to the small bedroom is his parents house and shoots his mouth off behind the comforting anonymity of the internet before downloading some porn to counter the fact that he and his 2 inch penis never get anymore than looks of pity from the opposite sex.
ReplyDeleteSee, I can name call and insult as well. Does this make me right? Does it make me clever? Does it make me better than everyone else here? Does it mean I automatically win this debate by default? Can I have a cookie now?
I am a new anonymous and unrelated to those who bore the name before me.
ReplyDeleteI was reading this blog with some amazement at the idea that breast cancer gets preferential funding...so I looked it up (in CR-UK 5 year plan document).
To summarize: lung cancer kills 3 times as many as breast but gets a third of the funding.
Winners appear to be: breast, colorectal, prostate, leukaemia, ovary, melanoma
Losers include: lung, oesophagus, pancreas, stomach
As has been pointed out by many before me this isn't a male/female issue - but I think it is an issue of some sort.
@Tallguy I own my own house (completely), I've served a prison sentence for assault, I spent part of my life in a children's home and I studied although did not complete a degree in Electronic Engineering.
ReplyDeleteObviously the person who posted below you made the effort to check things out a little more, which is shame you didn't do something like that but then I guess you prefer presenting yourself as the blog's quasi legal expert and resident mangina.
It would be really helpful if all the anonymouses gave themselves names, fictitious ones will do, so that us less clever people can follow comments such as these more simply.
ReplyDeleteThere really is no need to be rude to each other and write so negatively. Some people could learn a thing or two from Ben himself.
Many of appreciate that wheat Ben writes is his own personal comment and obviously we con't always agree with everything he says, but luckily he writes it in a mature and sentsitive way - please others follow suit. It's a great blog Ben, please keep writing.
Ben has always maintained that people should be free to express their opinions on this blog without censorship on our part. However, some comments today have deteriorated into nothing more than a slagging match and silly debate about feminism.
ReplyDeleteAnonymouses, please be aware of the spirit and purpose of this blog before generating your own debate, or your inappropriate comments may have to be deleted. Ed.
With respect Ed, the situation has not been a slagging match and silly debate about feminism.
ReplyDeleteA person who comes under anonymous has been for a long time now seeking to undermine and antagonise the regular commentors here because this anonymous understands them to be coming from a 'feminist' perspective and this is a pet hate of his.
Of course it has nothing to do with any of the subjects that have been introduced or commented on.
This person has personnaly attacked people on a number of occasions, something which has been clearly pointed out at the time after a statement by yourself saying you would not tolerate it and yet you let it go.
There is a difference between someone being called something ( an idiot for example) because of the position they are taking on a subject, and a personal attack where the perpetrator thinks they know that person who they personally attack and do it with hated as a motivational force. Having been on the receiving end of endless personal attacks by anonymous I know that that is what he is doing, all the evidence is in the comments thread anyway.
The anonymous in question has also broken blogger rules by spreading hatred, something which has also been pointed out. Then he impersonated me, again and offence, but ignored again here.
It seems ironic that a blog claiming to fight against injustices can let such a carry on go on for so long and still be unwilling or unable to acknowledge and act appropraitely to the underhand, unpleasant and disruptive behaviour by one person.
Personaly I have had enough of it here and will be leaving.
My comment mysteriously disappeared so I will write it again although I am now running late so will make it much brief until I get time to reply fully. This has not been a slagging match and silly debate about feminism, it has been about one man called anonymous and his hatred for people who he thinks are 'feminists', the situation has become intolerable as there are consistent personal attacks from this person including underhand practices (impersonation, spreading gender hatred and personal attacks). This is different from calling someone a name because of the position they are taking on a particular subject. All the evidence is in the comments thread, if my first comment has been taken down that I made a few minutes ago; that is a shame and not in the spirit of this blog or any decent and reasonable blog. That you can leave people being vehemently attacked, and not do anything except take down the comment made by someone complaining that you are not assessing the situation correctly. It is very disappointing.
ReplyDelete@anon 8:26
ReplyDeleteAnd despite all this, you miss the point. It doesn't matter if what I said was accurate or not, it was there as an illustration of the second part of my post. I wasn't actually insulting anybody. Namely, that insulting people does not make your point any more correct.
And quasi legal expert? Well, I don't belong to the blog and I'm sure I am not the only person with legal knowledge here however if I know things that others do not then why shouldn't I share them? This blog is after all supposed to be an educational forum.
@Tallguy I haven't the point all am I'm still waiting for a more mature response to my original post or am I to take it that if you don't know much about a subject it's fair game to insult the messenger as uyou have?
ReplyDelete@Sophie J For your benefit you can re-read my original post again and if you'd like to post something construtvie please feel free to do so and if your looking for evidence of a person using this blog to further their own agenda you only have to look at your own comments that when you get the opportunity up you pop with the women are victims mantra.. Quite honestly I find it boring at best, sly and underhand at worst. What's more my reaction is more often than not a response to a post you've made which I suspect you are expecting everyone to accept hook line and sinker and really don't like someone challenging you. So if you don't like it then don't post nonesense and you'll find me and you will get on fine.
ReplyDelete@Jules re Jimmygiro's comment: what's warped about it, the focus has well and truly been on breast cancer for at least 30 years and to such an extent that other charities suffer and are sqeezed out of funding opportunities for researching other diseases and illnesses.
Just today I was listening to my local radio station and yes folks it's that time of year again when women's cancers get the spotlight and get star sponsorship billing on the station.
You'd think just for once they'd consider men's health but of course feminists don't do that because as far as most of them are concerned men are the enemy or second class citizens.
Thanks Anon, but you already told me this on 5 Apr at 8.27. Another Anon at 8.26 on 6th April kindly did some research for us about the current state of cancer research, which was interesting wasn't it. We all assume things at times without really knowing the facts of the matter.
ReplyDeleteI am not denying that prostate cancer is not as high profile as breast cancer. But please can we just agree that there is far too much suffering in this world for both men and women; physical, mental and emotional.
I do worry about you Anon because to me you seem a very unhappy person. Not all women are men-haters, and not all feminists are either. I fear you have got things out of proportion for some reason. It sounds as though you have had some difficult life experiences and I'm sorry you have been left feeling this way. Jules
@Jules I'm fine with myself and my life and in response I would say it's you and some others on here that have got things out of proportion. For one thing I have pointed out at least twice now that you don't have to be female to be a feminist which pretty much blows the biggest assumption out of the water.
ReplyDeleteCertainly if we wish to focus on the negatives in life we can say there is far too much suffering a lot of which we can't actually do a lot about. But what we can do is challenge a person's ideology if we feel and indeed if we can back up with various facts to show them that their support of an ideology such as feminism has caused a lot of the suffering we now see.
@ Anon 9.25am 6th April...
ReplyDeleteTaken me a long time to think about what you said...due to my obvious lack of contribution to this debate....after all of that soul searching and agonizing I finally found the answer!!
ROFLMAO. Another 'contribution'? of course not, I wouldn't dream of it.
Well Ben, if you are still reading this thread, you will have learned that you are never too old to learn something stupid.
ReplyDeleteKate