The King has Cancer

Back in February, this headline appeared in the London Times, and undoubtedly similar headlines appeared in other newspapers. It was a shock but I suspect it was intended as a shock. This is what headlines do, they sell newspapers!

More recently, two friends have been diagnosed with the dreaded disease and I started to think about the use of the word, “cancer”. True, it is frightening, but surely there is a better way to describe the disease. The word implies something which somehow consumes the whole body, even the whole person, whereas it is an uninvited guest in part of the body which certainly needs to be removed or eradicated. I prefer to say, “cancerous cells” or even “a tumour”. In my opinion, these terms have less impact – and I think that is important for recovery.

Now, you may think I am being euphemistic, in the way that someone dying is described as “passing away”, for example. But, no. I believe this is different. As I wrote in “Fish in bloodstream”, visualisation is a powerful tool in fighting disease, not only in believing that it can be overcome but also to take positive steps in that direction.

One of my friends was given an image which I didn’t think was helpful, so I offered an alternative which I will write here. Maybe it will help my second friend who is just starting treatment. Both are Christian church friends and I was hesitant to offer something which is basically secular (as are many forms of healing which I write about in other parts of this website), but heyy! Medical treatment is also secular.

I asked her to imagine an army – very small because their battlefield is the bloodstream. They go on patrol searching out bad cells, armed with light sabres (or invent your own images!) Create images in your mind, imagine fruitless searches (good!) or imagine finding a bad cell lurking in hiding. Zapp!

And imagine them on Sundays on church parade in their smart dress uniforms (because they are God’s army).

Maybe this sounds trivial (certainly it is fun) but I am deadly serious! It works. Healing by touch or at a distance works. So, don’t give up when you hear that word (which we don’t mention now). With the help of doctors but also with your help, you can overcome the disease. Think of yourselves as a team.