Why is fighting cancer heroic American and patriotic?

[Eki]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,454784,00.html


Pinheads & Patriots

The ordeal of Heather Pick is a heroic American story. The 38-year-old Columbus, Ohio, anchorwoman, seen here in her last TV appearance, valiantly fought breast cancer before succumbing to the disease on November 7. She's wearing a wig here because of chemo. She leaves a husband and two young daughters. Ms. Pick was a very brave person.

My mother died two weeks ago for cancer. She had fought cancer almost five years. She was not American. I don't know about her patriotism. If she was patriotic, she never made a big deal about it.

I think Bill O'Reilly is a bigger jerk and more insensitive than George W Bush.

[MrJan]

Sorry about your mother Eki.

In answer to your question I don't think that battling cancer can in any way be patriotic. You don't represent your country or try to break through because of your nationality. However I do think that many cancer patients are very brave. Lance Armstrong, who really fought hard to get past it and then got back on the bike when he did, represents a lot of determination. I don't know if this sort of bravery/courage/balls (possible the wrong word in Armstrong's case) helps to win out but it's certainly impressive.

Ultimately though you are reading a story on Fox, what else did you expect :D ;) :p :

[Tazio]

Sorry about your loss Eki. I can relate!!
Nov. 14 was the one year anniversary of my mother’s passing at the age of 87! She was a 3 time cancer survivor. She had been cancer free for 15 years. She succumbed to an extremely aggressive metastatic cancer that from diagnosis to death took less than two weeks. She was otherwise very healthy, and a nonsmoker!
Very courageous



About seven miles off the coast of Sardinia lies the island of San Pietro with its white sandy beaches, its rocky cliffs and its solitary town, Carloforte. Carloforte with its rich and well documented history is not only an enchanting, holiday paradise; it is an anomaly amidst the Sardinian islands.

The town itself was founded in 1738, but its roots reach centuries further.

In 1542, the Lomellini, a noble family of Genoa, and many of their followers left their native Ligurian coast to settle the island of Tabarca off the coast of Tunisia, pursuing coral fishing and trade. Eventually, these “Tabarchini” as they were known, began managing commerce between the African interior and European Markets. After experiencing success on this island, clashes began between the Tabarchini and French expansionists as well as with Barbary pirates.

In 1738, a group of Tabarchini opted to leave the island permanently. They were received by King Carlo Emmanuelle III of Savoy, in the kingdom of Sardinia, who gave them the island of San Pietro to settle. To show their appreciation to King Carlo, the Tabarchini named their new settlement Carloforte (Carlo the strong) in his honor.

Remarkably, to this day, the inhabitants of Carloforte have maintained their Ligurian architecture, culture, customs, traditions and a dialect which is incomprehensible to the surrounding population.

So, what does all of this have to do with my mom...? Flash forward approximately 175 years when a 14 year old girl named Luigia Borgheri emigrates with her family from Carloforte, followed a year later by a young man named Luigi Boccone. Their marriage had already been preordained in Carloforte.

My grandparents, now Louis and Louise Boccone married in 1918, settled in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and two years later little Giovanna Angela came along. Of course, she never went by her given name, instead her parents called her Jennie, a shorter more Americanized version of her name. Five years later on a snowy January morning, Louis and Louise brought home baby brother, Anthony. And so, began the adventure of my mom, Jennie Boccone.

Although my mom’s parents were immigrants, they primarily spoke English in their home, but my mom still picked up the native Ligurian from her grandparents and the smatterings of conversations between her parents. I still have memories of my mom talking on the phone to her “Babu”, father, in a mixed up version of English and Italian.

My mom went to college at St. Joseph’s Women’s College in Brooklyn and received her Bachelor of Science in History. While in college, my 5’1” mom played on the basketball team. Never the one to be intimidated, she was thrown out of the only game she played in for “rough play”. She would also fondly recall sneaking out of classes early with some of her classmates on Wednesdays to attend Ladies’ Day at Ebbets Field.

As she graduated, the world was at war. My mom went to work in the Cashier’s office of NBC studios in Rockefeller Center. There she was diverted by the entertainer’s of the day. Among those she befriended were Lew Anderson AKA Clarabelle, the Clown and Ted Geisel AKA Dr. Seuss.

Additionally, she would often spend Sunday Afternoons at the Met. She enjoyed nothing more than opera. It was her passion. She once spoke of seeing Aida at the Met with real animals. Even when I was small I remember that she had a four record set of “La Boheme” that she would put on when she cleaned the house. I remember thinking it was so insufferable that I wished Mimi would just get it over with and die already.

My mom loved to socialize. She loved to dress to the nines to go to parties and go dancing. She was all New York, through and through, an appreciator of the arts, a fan of “dem bums” and a social butterfly.

At one party, she met a young merchant marine officer named Victor D’Amico and immediately fell for him. Together they went dancing at the Waldorf Astoria or somehow got into Toot’s Shor for dinner. They would stay out until 3:00 in the morning and my mom was still able to get up for work at 6:00.

My parents wed on Thanksgiving, 1950 and lived in Freeport, Long Island for over a year. My dad was in Africa the next November when my brother, Frank was born. My mom quickly switched from divas to diapers as she welcomed motherhood. The following year my father, in an effort to remain closer to his now growing family, decided to change career paths and enter the University of Miami to receive his teaching credential. This uprooted the small family from their native New York. For my mom, moving to Miami was the cultural equivalent of Eva Gabor moving to Green Acres.

My parents grew to love Miami though, and both of them received their teaching credentials there. They spoke of snakes in the house and alligators at the end of the street. Additionally, the Miami years saw the births of Victor, Dawn and me. In 1960, my parents decided to move to California for better opportunities. We ended up in San Diego when I was four months old. In 1962 Deborah was born followed 11 months later by Dyana and as my dad said in his floral note to my mom “This is the end, Thank God”.

I have fond childhood memories, the best of which include days of shopping, theater and the arts and going to church with my family.

As sort of a ritual, my mom used to take us out of school for a day or two during our kindergarten year and take us shopping to Mission Valley. Together we would ride the bus to the valley (as a New Yorker my mom resisted getting her drivers license). The highlight of the shopping day came when we would eat at the lunch counter at JJ Newberry’s and then get to pick the candy we wanted.

In the summer when my dad went to work at sea, my mom stayed at home and single-handedly parented six children. It was hard work for both my mom and my dad but they wanted to make the sacrifice so they could better provide for us.

My mom was an excellent cook and she would make dinner for all of us every night. And even though she had six kids, my mom still found time to make clothes for us…at least for the girls. My mom would make outfits out of taffeta or voile or some such shiny fabric. And no matter where we went we were always the dressiest ones there. I’m pretty sure that I was the only kid in my junior high school who wore a sweater with a fur collar and cuffs.

My mom made sure that we were the consummate ladies at all times. She sent us to the children’s ballet series at the Civic center and while I thought the best part of the ballet was when the boy sitting next to me started counting down a ballerina that had slipped and fallen… my mom felt that she did her duty to at least expose us to the arts. Then there was the time she sent us to the Old Globe summer series, whereby we took a class before each play that we saw. When the third play of the series came around we became a little bored with the class beforehand, so we decided to ditch after the break. We soon found out that this decision was imprudent when at the end of the play King Lear plucks his eyes out, and nine and ten year old Dyana and Debbie, unsuspecting and sitting in the front row, started screaming bloody murder.

My mom went back to teaching school when we were all in school ourselves. She loved to teach kindergarten and first grade. She would never teach anything over third grade because she didn’t want to teach children that were bigger than her. My mom held the belief that children should be children. She believed, even at that time, children were being made to grow up too fast. In her classroom she did her level best to cultivate children’s self esteem and importance just for being themselves.

My mom’s religious fervor and tenacity is best illustrated by her struggle with cancer. In 1979, when my mom was first diagnosed with breast cancer she prayed, had surgery and radiation to eradicate the cancer and then got right on with her life. We were instructed not to tell anyone about it. She felt that if she put it behind her it would go away. Actually, this approach served her well, but nine years later, she had a recurrence of breast cancer. She again, prayed, had it removed and moved on. It was in 1992 when she was first diagnosed with lung cancer and we all thought that her luck had run out. After surgery and radiation, our fears were assuaged as she made a speedy and complete recovery. She was cancer free after that for over 15 years. When I called my dad’s sister, Dorothy, to tell her about my mom’s death, she told me she never even knew that my mom had cancer at all let alone that she was a three time cancer survivor.

It was no accident that our lives reflected the life of our New Yorker mom. Although we were Californians, she wanted us to be raised with the same culture, style and exposure to the arts that she had herself. You can take the girl out of New York but apparently you could not take New York out of my mom. Like her Ligurian ancestors, my mom was unwilling to change her customs to match those of the natives. Like her ancestors she was a fighter with steadfast resolve and religious fervor. She loved her children and was proud of us all. When my cousin Joan called to give her sympathies, I asked her what she thought of my mom. She summed her up by saying, “Your mother was a lovely, gracious, hospitable lady… a lady in everyway”. That was my mom, like Carloforte itself, warm, welcoming and beautiful.

[Eki]

Lance Armstrong, who really fought hard to get past it and then got back on the bike when he did, represents a lot of determination. I don't know if this sort of bravery/courage/balls (possible the wrong word in Armstrong's case) helps to win out but it's certainly impressive.

It's great that Lance Armstrong beat his cancer, but it's not related to nationality. For example a Finnish NHL hockey player Saku Koivu beat cancer and made comeback. It just doesn't make as big headlines on FoxNews.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saku_Koivu#Battle_against_cancer


Battle against cancer

On September 6, 2001, Koivu was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after having serious pains in stomach and vomiting. Koivu was on his way back from Finland with then-fellow Canadien Brian Savage who said he looked pale and not well at all.[9] He went to see the Canadien's physician David Mulder, who did tests. It was later discovered that Koivu had cancer.

Koivu received large numbers of get-well e-mails and letters.[10] He was also in touch with Mario Lemieux, John Cullen and Lance Armstrong; all athletes who had beaten cancer and returned to the top.


Koivu being escorted to the penalty box by two referees.Koivu was expected to be out for the season but made a remarkable comeback in time for the last few games. Fans gave Koivu an eight-minute standing ovation when he skated onto the Molson Center ice for the first time on on April 9, 2002.[11] Koivu helped the team to gain a playoff spot and they went on to beat the #1 ranked Boston Bruins in six games.

In 2008, Koivu was featured in the Simple Plan music video for the song Save You, which was originally written for the lead singer's brother. The music video features many cancer survivors such as Koivu.

[Tazio]

Eki you have a gripe against Fox News!
So does about 60-70% of Americans who pay attention to world and domestic news. It is not representative of "The American Conscience”
Perhaps you should write directly to Fox for a clarification!

[anthonyvop]

Eki you have a gripe against Fox News!
So does about 60-70% of Americans who pay attention to world and domestic news. It is not representative of "The American Conscience”
Perhaps you should write directly to Fox for a clarification!

Actually Fox news is the highest rated Cable news network.
In spite of what you think Fox is the most balanced and tend to be middle of the road while the rest of the networks tend to lean to the left.
Except MSNBC which is so left it makes old school Communist shake their heads in disbelief.

Anyway. Nope having Cancer nor beating Cancer is heroic.
Neither is teaching
Being a Poiltician.
Being a Journalist
Being Doctor.


And you are not a Hero for doing the right thing.

[TOgoFASTER]

Fulgencio must be getting channeled again.
Wonder when he gets his show on Fox?
Cable news is serious stuff. LOL

[Camelopard]

Sorry to hear about your mother Eki, I feel I can relate as my father died at the end of August, so I have sympathy for what you are going through.

[fizzicist]

Actually Fox news is the highest rated Cable news network.
In spite of what you think Fox is the most balanced and tend to be middle of the road while the rest of the networks tend to lean to the left.

I just can't help but think that America doesn't know what left wing is any more...

Now I may never say this again....but I wish Arthur Scargill was still active! (just for this example you understand)

[BDunnell]

I just can't help but think that America doesn't know what left wing is any more...

:up:

Absolutely right - just like it has never known the meaning of the word 'liberal'.

[BeansBeansBeans]

“No one ever 'battles bravely against cancer'. This is utter bull. You do your chemo, take your drugs and hang on for dear life.” - British Journalist (and cancer sufferer) Steven Wells

[bowler]

Battling cancer can be heroic, and brave.
It has nothing to do with the nationality of a person.

Cancer is an awful disease which can take lives or freedoms from people without discrimination of colour race or creed.

Every country will have stories of people who have battled cancer courageously, with some winning and some losing. Most lose, but the victories are worth sharing.

The losses are worth sharing as well, and if the media pump it up a little, that takes nothing away from the actions of the person concerned.

Everyone has their own tale of cancer, and the tragedy of someone close to them or their family.

Eki, I am sorry for your loss, just as I have been sorry for those of my own.

Fox media building someone else's loss into a big story does not, in any way, diminish your own situation. It does alert others to the tragedy that cancer creates, and it allows you to look through their story to your own. Hopefully it equips other people to deal with losses of their own.

I have had a few dealings with "cancer people" and they are an amazing group of people, especially the young kids who have to deal with a life of treatments, needles, operations, radiation, chemotherapy, baldness, hospitals etc.

Their stories add strength, and if used well will help you deal with your own loss.

please accept my sympathies for the loss of your mum.

[OWFan19]

Sorry about your mom. Cancer is a nasty thing. My mom is a two time survivor, still doing well thankfully. I lost my sister in law's sister to cancer she was very young. An uncle. I have another uncle going to get his 9th chemo, and it has really taken a toll on him. He almost passed away the other day, but got lucky and seems to be getting better.

As for Bill O'reilly, the man and the network are a joke. Don't let the ratings B.S. fool you. The network is losing ground on what it once had. American's are waking up to their partisan crap. They are not fair and balanced. As for MSNBC, at least they don't distort the facts or make things up.

[Hazell B]

Sorry for your loss Eki. How're you bearing up? Naburn sends a hug :)



Neither is teaching
Being a Poiltician.
Being a Journalist
Being Doctor.




Sometimes all of the above count as heros to some extent, but not often. Thing is, you have a choice about being any one of them - disease doesn't give you a choice.

Having cancer doesn't make you heroic, nor a good American thank goodness, but it can make you act like a far braver person than you were before. I've seen it.

[Eki]

Sorry for your loss Eki. How're you bearing up? Naburn sends a hug :)



Sometimes all of the above count as heros to some extent, but not often. Thing is, you have a choice about being any one of them - disease doesn't give you a choice.

Having cancer doesn't make you heroic, nor a good American thank goodness, but it can make you act like a far braver person than you were before. I've seen it.
Thanks, Hazell and Naburn. I'm coping.

[Daniel]

:up:

Absolutely right - just like it has never known the meaning of the word 'liberal'.

That sounds like liberal talk to me :rolleyes:

Sorry to hear of your loss Eki :(