Cancer – Threat to Life or a Signal?
Assalam-o-Alaykum w.w!
I was just watching the repeat telecast of a TV show “Rising Pakistan”, that’s goes on air every morning from PTV by Tauseeq Haider. They invite a person from different walks of life and a very interesting discussion related to the person’s activities is carried out.
In this program, they had invited an Oncologist from Military Hospital of Rawalpindi and he shared some personal experiences regarding the disease and as a whole it was more of a general awareness show. I was interested in the subject by default, because I’ve seen the sufferings myself and did quite a research on cancer, especially ovarian cancer.
One things, as they discussed, and I witnessed myself is very significantly seen in Pakistan that we try to DENY the disease whether it be something as malaria, even some ache, some lump, swelling. The general attitude is we make ourselves assured that no we are not suffering from any thing and we should not go for some serious check ups, in case something serious comes out.
And if cancer’s name comes out, general concept is that the patient should not be told. That is a very wrong approach of taking the problem. The patient is the person who has to fight with the disease and it’s totally his Will-Power that counts. It would be utter difficult for him to tackle the chemotherapies and radiotherapies if he’s not well awaked on his disease. So, most of the oncologists now focus on telling the patient about their disease in detail and to discuss with them the ratio of coming out all healthy or even the side-effects he would suffer in the way to recovery.
The oncologist about whom I’ve told earlier, I couldn’t know his name though, but his style of explaining things was really good. He had some research experience in USA as well. So, he was saying that:
In western countries ratio of cancer patients coming in Stage – I is in 85 – 90%, while of the remaining there’s a minute ratio of patients coming in Stage – III and beyond. While, comparing it to Pakistan, 85-95% patients are diagnosed cancer in stage – III and Stage IV.
And blame for this delay goes a bit to patients who are sometimes shy in telling their problems to even doctors. Somewhat to doctors too like some GPs instead of referring it to someone specialist in the field or even consulting with the specialist himself to discuss the problem; goes on for patient’s irrelevant tests that delay the whole thing. And still a larger percentage reaches the advanced stages of cancer, as there’s not much concept of quarterly, six monthly or yearly checks ups in Pakistan that should include check up of vital organs, at least.
Then, there are certain cancers that may run in a family like Intestinal cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer and breast cancer (may be there are more types of genetically running cancers too). So, if there are any relations in a family who had suffered from such cancers they should go for quarterly check-ups for their benefit.
The cancer is basically abnormal multiplying of tissues in a body part that may spread through blood as well to other organs of body. Usually, the full-recovery ratio of cancer patients in Stage – I and II is very high, in stage – III it’s relatively less but still the life span increases of a person, same goes for Stage- IV, ratio becomes lesser of full-recovery but at least life span is increased.
Cancer should not be taken as a threat to life always, diagnosis at correct time and proper treatment may lead to a fully recovered healthy person who can enjoy his life as before. But for this proper and good care from the family; mental, moral and physical care; is always needed.
You can find lots of information on cancer from Internet too, that’s an added plus these days.
It’s like a traffic signal … light is not always red … sometimes it’s green and at others it’s Yellow … you have to act accordingly.
May Allah be with us all!
Wassalam & Fee Aman Allah!
You have rightly pointed out the general behaviour of patients, their family members and the curers. However, they are not all to be blamed. Behaviour of our whole society is to blame. If a person is half-mad he is made full-mad by our behaviour with him, if a person is little sick, he is made really sick with our exaggerated talk of his sickness scaring him away to death. Then we have no diagnostic and counseling facilities in our country for common man. These are only available to VIPs. We are living as masters and slave.
Yeah, you are very much true here … but who maked up the society … me, you and all these people around us …. thoughts and way of thinking , approaching things should atleast be changed gradually if not instantly.
Yeah, we lack counselling facilities in every walk of life whether it be in education or in matters of medicine.
Then, for regular check-ups only people who have this medical faility privided by their oraganizations can afford so many tests docs prescribe them … not possible for every one … as people say … yahan khana poora nahi hotaa check-up kaun karaye!!
Assalaamualaikum,
I came across this blog after you had left comment on my blog that I have made for Asma (AllAboutAsma.blogspot.com).
One thing I would like to mention and perhaps I may write about this on my blog, is that conventional medicine does not have a cure for cancer. In fact, they dont have a cure for anything.
I say this because I have had many experiences, Asma being one of them. The only place you can look for a cure is when you turn to natural/alternative medicine.
So next time, whenever the doctor tells you there is no cure for cancer (or any other illness), simply ignore him/her.
Allah Subhana’Watalaa says there is a cure for every disease except death! So who are these people to say otherwise?
Check back at my blog to see future posts on this, Insha’Allah.
Assalaamualaikum.
AoA,
Nice post! And here’s my two-cents worth…
The one thing I’ve noticed in people (including myself) is that we’re not very enthusiastic when it comes to going to a doctor, I wonder why that is…
And you’re right most of the doctors (GP’s) don’t care if they’re qualified to diagnose or prescribe medicines for the condition of the patient. e.g. when I first went to a doctor for my head-splitting migraines, he started treating them as normal headaches, then told me they were stress-induced and that I needed to lighten up and finally settled on migraines. Now in these three diagnosis, he was a GP, a psychologist and a neurologist. He never referred me to a neurologist, which he should have done in the first place. In these conditions, it’s not surprising cancers are detected as late as they are…
Now don’t get me wrong, Pakistani medical institutions turn out great doctors, and the way doctors diagnose and treat patients is not the fault of the doctors only. Lack of awareness in patients about diseases and their symptoms, lack of knowledge about which doctor they should go to when they see first encounter symptoms and the most important reason of all: lack of resources and the means to pay for decent medical care.
Another thing worth mentioning is something I read somewhere. According to WHO, Pakistan requires 3 times more doctors than the current number. Keeping that in view, we know how few of our doctors work in rural areas, compounding the situation and most of the doctors are concentrated in urban areas.
Nice post.
@Mr. GQ: Walaykum asalam w.w!
Well, you are pretty right here, as Allah swt and Hadhrat Muhammad s.a.w.w said and stressed that there’s a cure for every disease, so this thing is simply ruled out that is there any cure for cancer or not!
Sorry, I couldn’t understand what do u mean by conventional and alternative medicine … heard about the terms but couldn’t understand them. Well, as for cancer, it’s cure is all there! Though chemotherapies and radiotherapies may sometimes prove to be very harsh but then they target on killing cells (malignanat or healthy, both). And the results are good … the malignant cell count soon comes down … !
Thanks for coming by, do come again!
@Fallen Angel:
Assalamaolaykum w.w.!
As a nation overall, we lack many things though, but one thing is the streength to acept that we don’t know …. instead of referring things to someone having more vital knowledge we try to give lots of ideas and want to implement them as well, as for testing.
Well, yeah, cancers are usually deteted late because cancer is one possibility that most of the doctors go for at the end … so it delays the things too!
And, no i’m not getting you wrong
Well, it’s not the responsibility ofa patient to go strtaight to the concerned doctor … if i’m having some serious pains in my stomach , i woulld go to my GP ofcourse, how would i know if its some ulcer or cancer (Allah forbid me)! The GP should thoroughly examine and then refer my case to somene he thinks is a concerned person.
About rural areas … udhar ka tu rahnay hee dein naa … here in urban areas ppl are dignosed properly … while in rurals dispensaries due to lack of doctors is being taken cared by compounders usually. And there people are more interested in other rituals, usually instead of going todoctor for proper medication … this is the awareness that needs to be brought up!
wassalam
@shirazi: thanks!
I think, most of the diseases if diagonsed before their critical point, they can be nipped in the bud. So Government should send more and more health workers which can give information regarding disease symptoms to the rural, under -developed areas of the country so that they can check themseleves regularly and it will help in removing any disease if they have quickly.
with regards
FM
If you need awareness breast cancer month info… Go to this awareness breast cancer month site : awareness breast cancer month
Hey, you have a great blog here! I’m definitely going to bookmark you!
I have a cancer cure site. It pretty much covers cancer cure related stuff.
Come and check it out if you get time
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Yeah very much right .. thanks FM and VL for coming by
Asma | Homepage | 09.17.05 – 11:38 pm | #
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Yeah, infact most of the disease if diagonsed before their critical points, they can be nipped in the bud. In this scenario, Government should send health workers to give information regarding the diseases symptoms more and more to the under-developed/villages areas.
with regards
FM
Fahad Majeed | Homepage | 09.17.05 – 4:43 pm | #
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Asma … nice job!
Thought provoking stuff, ooh! You are rite about our states of mind (I am actually of the same category, sigh) … but hon, you’ve indeed raised up several good points!
VL | 09.17.05 – 1:02 am | #
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:O
Asma | Homepage | 09.16.05 – 12:03 pm | #
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MashaALLAH — you have improved a lot Asma. This one is very well written- god job.
…
10 years ago I was: in Jeddah going to school.
5 years ago I was: in USA going to an Engineeing college.
1 year ago I was: looking for a job.
….
am here after a long time, now going to the rest of the posts..
Guess who? | 09.16.05 – 1:25 am | #
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I have been tag in ur blog (Thanks) … and i did post my tag post
Shaper | Homepage | 09.16.05 – 12:54 am | #
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Assalamoalaykum w.w.!
Yeah, i agree its a dilemma of our society as a whole. There was a young girl inour neighbours, of 24-25 yrs and she had cancer but that was known after ger death. Her parents even didnt told the grandparents of the girl, lest what people will think. I think people dont think any thing bad onsomeone’s illness … and the benefit is Yo get lots of duas … who knows whose prayers would work, would be fulfilled.
Take carez n Allahhafiz
Asma | Homepage | 09.15.05 – 2:55 am | #
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I totally agree with you sister Asma n with Uncle Ajmal..
Family should co-operate and take good care of the patient.. You are talking about Cancer, which is not a small disease but in Thalassemia we have seen some families who bring thier kids for tranfusion at Fatimid and tell a lie to In-Laws that they are going to Grand-mother or anywhere.. but they doesn’t like good telling them, this things is a very BIG negative point of our people, we should not play with someone’s life and feelings..!
may Allah always always be with all of us!
Take Cares, Allah Hafiz
-Ayesha
Ayesha | Homepage | 09.14.05 – 10:44 pm | #
[...] After, my Cancer – Threat to Life or a Signal post, this can be counted as a sequel. For past few days, I am going through lots of stuff related to cancer and malignancy. You may have caught some posts from Helping Children When a Family Member Has Cancer as well. The latter post series was made via an interesting article I found, so I thought why not share it. [...]
[...] After, my Cancer – Threat to Life or a Signal post, this can be counted as a sequel. For past few days, I am going through lots of stuff related to cancer and malignancy. You may have caught some posts from Helping Children When a Family Member Has Cancer as well. The latter post series was made via an interesting article I found, so I thought why not share it. [...]