Heartbreaking
Had the terrible news that one of my friends has breast cancer this week.

The fact that it's incredibly rare in women under 30 is unlikely to be of any comfort I would have thought. Sadly, the first doctor she saw about it told her it wasn't cancer meant that rather than catch it early things have worsened.

What do you say to someone who now has this to deal with?

I'm sorry - doesn't really begin to scratch the surface of how sad I feel, or do anything to appease how crap she and her husband must feel.

My heart just breaks every time I think about them, and I feel like crying.

At times like this my own mortality, and that of those I hold dear, is really brought home to me. It's not a good feeling to consider I'm statistically into the middle third of my time on the planet assuming I live into my seventies, and with the chances of experiencing some form of cancer less than 1 in 4 if memory serves me correctly, it means this probably won't be the last time that I’m confronted by this issue.

For those who are already affected, my heart goes out to you.

All I can say to those who aren't is: please make sure you remain careful and vigilant because this is one issue which won't go away, no matter how hard you want it to.
- posted by Paul @ 4:47 pm