Do people really think like this - TW ( sickened and death )

[Newchapter35]

hi - this might be confusing but I was watching a debate unfold on a popular social media platform. I understood the original point of why people were angry but it was more the threads and comments that suprised me.

initially the uproar was about someone with POTS stating they wished they had cancer instead. - I can get why this caused some controversial debates.

what did shock me was including a close friend highlighting that there was not an illness as bad as cancer. Then there was discuss about childhood diseases and they were refusing to aknowledge that there were other life threatening illnesses that could as equally impact a child than cancer. There was a so called medical profession who got very angry and the suggestion that children with severe heart disease, sever CKD , liver failure , intestinal failure, severe intractable epilepsy should still feel lucky they don’t have cancer and that even surviving cancer is worse than dying or heart failure or CKD etc

I have a DC who has had significant life threading disease and battled for their whole life I would never wish they for cancer at all and I would not dare day either had it worse but we do in every day life when it comes to support / charities etc feel like it is not “ deemed “ as worthy as support.

there was a huge amount of agreement with her and it did take me back a little
no child or anyone should have to battle cancer but they shouldn’t have to battle any other life threatening disease either.

lots of comments of “ the treatments for those are not as painful or invasive “

I really can’t comprehend it - of course they are !

sorry about the typo in title !!

Honeslty I agree, having chronic illnesses, people constantly tell me 'well at least it's not cancer'. Do I actually want cancer, no bur I do think many chronic conditions are ignored or people suffering with them are seen as 'not sick enough' just because they may not die from it. It receives a lot more research, funding, better facilities etc (which isn't bad and I'm glad its happening) but there's no attempt to the same for many other chronic conditions at all. The resources aren't the same, in the NHS despite all it's faults, it really kicks into gear for cancer and life-threatning moments, but for chronic conditions, it's not at all like that. A&E can't help other than try to calm a flare and then its not acute so they can't help you. The support for mental health, they support for the emotional side of chronic illness, the research and funding, the helplines etc, just don't exist.

The treatment for chronic conditions can (and often do) worsen quality ot life as does the illness on its own. Its always a trade ofd between symptoms and medsz and this treatmenr and side effects etc. Chronic illness effects every area of your whole life, and never stops. Cancer can also do this, but I think people are understanding of this and someone understand the idea of being sick for a while but I think because chronic illness suffers don't get cures, people get frustrated from our constant sickness impacting our lives. Partly because sickness is normally thought of as an acute thing. But for cancer, people understand how it can keep on going, have lots of empathy as they know it could lead to death or drastic lifestyle changes etc.

The other reason is because people know about cancer, they know how debilitating it is, many people are clueless shout chronic illnesses particularly hidden ones and so underestimate the massive impact, the constant everyday pain and symptoms, and so cast lots of judgement on those who suffer from them as 'exaggerating sickness' or they aren't willing to be kind and understand why it's so hard with accommodations at work, in frendships etc. If you replaced that would cancer, much more people wouldn't have the same attitude at all. I do feel bad comparing them, as both are horrible, but I do understand the sentiment of wishing that you had cancer. It's not that anyone is actually wishing that, but they just want to be heard and get support, it's irrational but logical when you break it down.