Each difficulty that exists is portrayed, in some unspecified time in the future, in some type of media. Generally it would trigger an emotional response — that’s what set off warnings are for. Nevertheless it’s actually not attainable to foretell each occasion which may set off a response.
One in every of my favourite TV exhibits is “Bones,” which facilities round a forensic anthropologist and an FBI agent who remedy murders in a joint undertaking between the FBI and the Jeffersonian Institute, a fictional historic analysis facility within the DC space. The primary character, Temperance Brennan, has a wide range of interns, one among whom, Wendell Bray, is an everyman type.
Wendell Bray is an excellent character. He’s clever however doesn’t exhibit it in ways in which annoy these round him. He’s well mannered and deferential, however not subservient. He’s the boy subsequent door, and everybody roots for him. The assist solely intensifies when he’s recognized with Ewing sarcoma, a uncommon type of bone most cancers with a ten% survival charge. The storyline is compassionate, and everybody on the Jeffersonian is supportive of his remedy and restoration.
On the identical time, nonetheless, this storyline contains stereotypes about most cancers sufferers. Wendell is whisked into remedy — acceptable for a most cancers as uncommon and virulent because the one he’s recognized with — and is unable to work for the length. He loses his hair. The primary-line remedy is ineffective, and Wendell enrolls in a trial, which offers an experimental treatment. It really works for him, however not for one more affected person in his cohort. Wendell experiences nausea, which he treats with medical marijuana, which, till an answer is discovered, prices him his job on the Jeffersonian, as a result of the principles of employment say no unlawful medication, and make no exceptions for prescriptions of such medication.
Alongside the best way, some stereotypical reactions happen. One other character offers Wendell a pep speak, through which he’s directed to hunt remedy not only for himself and the life he has left to reside, however as a result of he owes it to the individuals round him. Wendell decides, given his prognosis, to tour the world as an alternative of getting remedy, however then reverses his determination based mostly on how he needs to be remembered by these round him, as somebody who fought as an alternative of somebody who ran away. The underlying concept is that most cancers have to be fought, as lengthy and as laborious as attainable, it doesn’t matter what; anything is unacceptable. Finally, the trial within the present is profitable; Wendell survives after which prospers.
Nevertheless it’s nonetheless TV, which exists to garner rankings, not essentially to painting reality. Wendell’s most cancers is recognized utilizing an X-ray that was taken after a damaged bone, which his supervisor reviewed with out his information, a lot much less his permission.
Whereas Wendell’s hair loss is portrayed, unwanted side effects comparable to nausea are solely mentioned, and not one of the different frequent and/or potential unwanted side effects come up in any respect — no point out of every other aspect or aftereffects. Wendell returns throughout his remedy trial, and after that episode, his most cancers is rarely talked about once more; no follow-ups, no aftereffects and no indicators it ever occurring.
And but, exhibits like this impacted my expectations for most cancers remedy after I was recognized with a very totally different type of most cancers, one with a very totally different remedy modality and a a lot greater chance of a constructive final result. Based mostly on depictions in standard media, I anticipated most cancers remedy to be each significantly extra onerous and significantly much less efficient than it turned out to be. I used to be far more frightened following analysis and coming into remedy than I in all probability wanted to be, based mostly on the depiction of most cancers remedy in standard media. I understand that actuality doesn’t actually make for good TV, motion pictures, novels, and so on., however on the identical time, the best way TV sensationalizes most cancers and most cancers remedy for numerous media shows can have a big impression on most cancers sufferers, in ways in which I believe by no means even occurred to the creators.
It’s not one thing I actually paid consideration to earlier than analysis, however now, after I see such depictions, they actually bounce out at me, and I discover myself evaluating my expertise to that of the character. There are such a lot of little items to most cancers remedy which might be by no means portrayed, and so many stereotypes about most cancers remedy which might be repeated as givens: that every one sufferers lose their hair, expertise extreme nausea and fatigue and face considerably destructive outcomes, all issues that add that rather more to the worry {that a} most cancers analysis evokes.
I don’t know what to do about it if something. Fictional media exist to get rankings; actuality is a minor secondary concern. However a extra practical portrayal may also assist lots of people, by lowering the worry a most cancers analysis provokes; a worry that causes lots of people to disregard signs which may result in earlier analysis, a better-tolerated remedy routine and an general higher final result. Within the meantime, I’ll be cautious of any fictional portrayal of most cancers.
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