i'm reading alot of posts by people who fell betrayed that more wasn't made of bringing awareness to the destructive ways of hpv, in the death of farrah fawcet.
the day that she dies is not the day that we should expect anything to be made of her type of cancer; the kind; the cause; how much funding and education are going towards treatment etc.
this never has been the correct time to soap box a cause, as much as we all selfishly wished for that. the day she died was a day for celebrating her life, as nbc did last evening with a special.
as for not stating that she died specifically from anal cancer, my word, in this society who of us would want that as the last memory of you, i wouldn't. i think if the media had emphasised anal cancer it would have been tacky since 98% of the public would likely have snickered since she was known for being a sexy actress, and maybe 2% would be interested in finding more out about hpv. i'm afraid we are all selfishly choosing to not understand why last night wasn't all about hpv or more likely all about us. it was,as it should have been about remembering farrahs life.
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are we being selfish about farrah's death?
- By ariel1
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 10:40 am · 34 replies
- In Fighting the stigma of STI cancers
- Shared with the public
Explore topics in this discussion:
Heart disease Cancer Leukemia Brain tumors Anal cancer Breast cancer Cervical cancer Multiple myeloma Heart attack Rare diseases Liver cancer Memory Obesity HPV Lung cancer Amyloidosis
34 replies
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- By Eimaj
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 11:24 am
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I think you have a really good point. Although, I would have liked to have seen more coverage on Farrah yesterday and not just Michael Jackson. I think its haunting they both died on the same day..
My question is this: Is HPV the ONLY reason someone could get anal cancer? Perhaps Farrah's doctor's didn't link her cancer to HPV..
I lost my Father 3 years ago to lung cancer. He had smoked for over 50 years. When I was taking care of the arrangements and going through his medical records, I discovered papers that stated he had anal cancer. I didn't know much about HPV at that time, so I never linked the two, until my recent cervical cancer diagnosis. My Father wasn't gay, but I certainly don't know all of his sexual history. So this is why I ask, if HPV is the one and only reason for anal cancer?
- By corellin
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 11:36 am
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People can get anal cancer without anal sex and a fairly high percentage of heterosexual men test HPV positive at the anus. Anal cancer is about 90% caused by HPV.
Ariel -- I agree with you about the special last night -- to focus on celebrating Farrah's life, rather than on her cancer. Very appropriate for the day of her death. But, it would be nice somewhere, though, for the link to have been made with HPV. Here's a high profile celebrity, and the link, for the most part, just was never made throughout her entire illness. It seems like a very sad, very missed opportunity, given that awareness could have possibly prevented this disease for others.
- By ariel1
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 12:16 pm
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eimaj, don't let your mind go crazy about your dad, i'm sure he was in the percentage of not. and even if his cancer was caused by hpv we all have heard how easily it is transmitted just on the skin. he probably had hpv just like the rest of the 85% of the population does over 50yrs old.
my mother always said, "i think its so tragic that they don't let up on people even AFTER they are dead! the obituary says died liver cancer, gossips say oh, he must of drank too much, lung cancer, oh she must have smoked too much, heart attack, oh we warned him to slow down, anal cancer, after all she was a sex symbol. can't people even die without being criticised
nowadays."
i am sure that is why farrah chose not to make alot of her particular type of cancer. as an actress and not nessecarily a great one, i'm sure she didn't want any more "reviews" after death. lifes not fair we all know that .
speaking of not fair my 4 month old grandson, whom i'm taking care of today is demanding me rite this minute, write more later.........................
- By chamomile
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 3:23 pm
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I agree that it was important to celebrate her life and legacy. In her documentary, she mentioned anal cancer and I think most people cringed generally. I think most people just never think that that particular body part is susceptible to cancer. I never thought twice about it before this website. I'm not bothered by the fact that they are not delving into the hpv connect on the day of her death. I think that should be for another day.
Unfortunately, the timing of Michael Jackson's death has completely overshadowed her story (my local paper just had a small snipet about her today and I couldn't even find her headline on the news website for that paper). This is so sad because her story of courage and hope is really a great one and we could all learn from it. Also, it's a shame that the media keeps refering to it as "rare". It may be statistically uncommon, BUT it's also on the rise and we are all in danger of it b/c you just don't know who it could afflict.
Here is my only observation: The world sure has no problem of saying..."so and so lost her long battle with breast cancer" or "so and so is a breast cancer survivor". AND NO ONE is saying that Farrah lost her long battle with anal cancer! The implication is that unless it's breast cancer, then all other cancers pale in comparision. On a side note, I just read an article comparing the funding of breast cancer research to the money spent on lung cancer research. Lung cancer kills far more WOMEN than breast cancer AND breast cancer has a much better survival rate than lung cancer, and yet it isn't properly researched and somehow we are OK with that? I'm not OK with how other cancers are ignored.
- By ariel1
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 4:06 pm
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i agree chamomile, that the public puts more emphasis on breast cancer than lung. it is probably because the public realizes that most lung cancer is avoidable whereas not so with breast cancer. spending more money on lung cancer might be futile when research has already found the simple key to avoiding most lung cancers, don't smoke.
its not like there is a committee deciding which cancers to be concerned with and fund. we are the public, you and i. we are the ones who bring awareness to which ever cause touches whichever person. we are the funders for any research. so the lesser known cancers don't get much respect or funding for a cure. cancers like mine, cervical cancer.
but frankly i want the most research done at the place its needed the most, at the most vunerable of cancers that cause the most people to die.
i wonder, if hpv had not touched each of us personally would we be as concerned about farrah fawcet or the cause of her cancer? i think we are really thinking of ourselves. of course i wish there was a 2 hour special just on hpv and more reseach was done on it. but that is because it is my thing, its what personally affects me but not many other people in the united states of 300,000,000 people. 12,000 get cervical cancer? thats a tiny drop in a big ocean.
- By chamomile
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 4:33 pm
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Ariel, I agree with you to some extent. However, I don't agree with you on the lung cancer/don't smoke rationale (which really is the prevaling opinion). The fact of the matter is, is that nonsmokers get lung cancer AND it kills much more women than breast cancer (it is the leading cause of cancer death among women). The rationale that it is avoidable and therefore less worthy is the same rationale that could say....cervical and anal cancers are preventable therefore avoid a high number of partners or anal sex (we all know that those "risk factors" are deceiving and stigmatizing). Being overweight increases chances of developing a host of other cancers, and yet we don't experience the blame in those cases. We are all vulnerable to these things because there are many many factors beyond our control in life. Sex is a necessity in life as is breathing. We have limited control over how the actions of others can affect us in this regard, therefore the deserve attention as well.
I have been affected by both lung cancer and CC, so if I'm selfish for saying this....then I accept that. My observation is that the public treats certain afflications with pride and others forces sufferers into the shadow or into partial silence.
I don't mean to take over this posting or have it go into another direction. I think that everyone can take something from Farrah's story, and that is hope and courage. I'd like that not to be overshadowed by anything right now.
- By corellin
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 6:08 pm
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I remember reading a post on this site sometimes back -- and all the attention RE breast cancer is actually a fairly recent development -- maybe last 10-15 years? (or so?) And, that's because there were some women who made it their cause and did something to promote awareness and to get funding for it. I really think, then, the same needs to be done for HPV & related cancers, and it would really be up to us, the people affected by it, to get something going.
HPV affects a huge number of people, when you consider all those who are treated for precursors, in addition to those who get cancer. I think awareness needs to extend beyond cancer. It could really extend in two directions -- HPV & related cancers/precancers or GYN issues -- since I've been reading how a lot of women are advised to have hysterectomies for fibroids or other benign conditions that shouldn't require hysterectomies. So there's the whole issue of GYN care and preserving women's organs in a culture that's quick to want to remove them -- which includes HPV-related treatment as well as non-HPV-related treatment.
Ariel -- I hope we haven't strayed too far from the original point of your post. I wish I could have seen that tribute to Farrah last night...
- By tam1
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 6:27 pm
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Maybe we are being selfish in a way. Everybody wants their disease that has affected their life to be recognized properly and funded proportionately. I feel horribly for children with cancerous brain tumors or leukemia. And they don't have much of a voice unless their parent's speak out.
Ariel - I wish the medical community would recognize cervical CIS or AIS as actual cancer. If that was the case then the number of cervical cancer cases would be would be much greater than 12,000 per year. I realize my struggle pales in comparison to someone with advanced cancer. Really the numbers are greater than 12,000 because many of us have our fertility destroyed and are forced to have our reproductive organs damaged by life altering surgical procedures (not to mention, other hpv induced cancers).
- By ariel1
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 6:38 pm
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camomile, i too have been affected by lung cancer and cervical cancer. my mother died of lung cancer and i stupidly could not quit smoking myself til last july. yes there is a small percentage of non smokers who get lung cancer but the majority are still the smokers. if millions of innocent nonsmokers died of lung cancer then there would be a march on washington, and they would be given as much press as breast cancer.
here's another one. heart disease is the leading cause of death in women who are post menapausal because they no longer have the estrogen to protect themselves. and women surpass men here! yet research is still done with mostly the male subject although they are finally getting more women into the studies.
your observation is not selfish it is simply factual of how the public reacts to supporting different charities, research and causes. it is too bad but there is no one entity to blame except society in general.
remember "save the baby seals" with that adorable baby seal looking at you with its doe eyes. we all wanted to help and stop the slaughter, but if you put a baby alligator there instead, i think the reaction would be different.
life ain't fair at all is it. i've stopped expecting things to go my way and i don't get too disappointed that way.
but cam, thats coming from a 58 year old. i'm hoping you don't ever give in to my rational while you're so young. you're hopefully among the gals that may help make changes by the time you're my age.
i've read your posts and i think you are a most caring and supportive person here. sending you smiles
mary
- By ariel1
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 6:47 pm
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tam, somewhere there must be statistics on how many women annually have leeps, cones, are diagnosed with scarey cin vin vain and on and on to see how many people are affected by the hpv virus. i'd love to know the number as i agree12,000 or 15,000 is only who are diagnosed with cancer. i'd love to know how many strong we all could be if we joined forces. 20,000? 200,000? 2million? correlin your good at this stuff.
- By ariel1
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 6:55 pm
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P.S. don't worry about straying from the post. what more could be added , yes we all are selfish about our own personal illness getting more press so we personally can benefit. its human nature. i'm guilty of it too. i just wanted to point it out before we all turned farrah into an hpv goddess. remember, it was she who chose not to be the hero for us and mention hpv. thats fine with me, she owes us nothing. maybe another celebrity some day. no i wouldn't wish that on anyone !
- By flowershoplady
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 6:57 pm
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corellin, that's soooo true about breast cancer...and it's even longer ago. my mother had breast cancer in the 1970's and breast cancer was not spoken about too much at that time. It was Betty Ford who had breast cancer in 1974 (while she was first lady) and she really spoke out and brought awareness to this disease, and then others started speaking out, and so forth. and even more recently, there have been younger breast cancer survivors such as christina applegate that have continued to increase awareness even amongst younger women.
i agree, corellin, that this was a missed opportunity for someone of well known and respected status to raise awareness that hpv is often linked with anal cancer.
i think that the special that ABC aired with barbara walters last night was a celebration of farrah fawcett's life, and it was very well done. it was interesting that every other channel seemed to be focusing on michael jackson while abc had an hour on her life.
and, yes, perhaps we're being selfish in wishing that more had been done to raise this awareness. i think the opportunity was lost - because it could have been done when she did her documentary and while she was alive, and since 'hpv' was never mentioned, i doubt that her legacy will ever do so, except in outside sources that talk about causes of anal cancer. i guess i'm ok that it may seem selfish of us. it's a woman in the public eye, and there was an opportunity to really make a difference. i feel the same way about other women such as brooke shields who is another well known respected woman in the public eye who had an hpv related disease....cervical cancer.
and, yes, the publicity from michael jackson's death is much greater than for farrah fawcett, but that's simply a function of the notoriety. it doesnt' change the sadness of her death on an individual basis. i think the saddest part is how much she suffered.
- By ariel1
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 7:13 pm
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if farrah didn't have a cancer caused by hpv would we really be as concerned about her. i think she wanted to die as dignantly she could. that she didn't do a documentary on ' a sexually transmitted disease is the cause of my death' is fine with me. yes we are all too selfish to expect that from a person in the spotlight. its not comparable to breast cancer in the sense that there is a stinking stingma surrounding sexual diseases whether we agree with it or not its there is the public and her coming out with that would not influence the stigma. perpetuate it maybe. that is why i posted in the 'fighting the stigma of sti cancers'
forum.
- By flowershoplady
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 9:14 pm
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yes, i would care just as much if she had a different type of cancer that wasn't caused by hpv. the hpv part of it doesn't impact how i feel about how she suffered as she fought her illness. in fact, we still don't know for sure that her specific disease was caused by hpv.
i respectfully disagree with you, ariel, because i think that a respected well known woman could potentially help to de-stigmatize hpv. i don't know enough about farrah fawcett's personal story to know if her sexy image would get in the way of all the assumptions and biases that surrounds a sexually transmitted disease. (i do know that i wanted to look like her when i was a teenager - and i don't look anything like her!) and, it's not the same thing, but katie couric helped reduce the 'ick' factor surrounding colon cancer and colon cancer by publicizing her husband's fight with colon cancer, and it's made a huge difference in awareness.
- By flowershoplady
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 9:17 pm
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oh, and, i agree, ariel, that it was her decision on which she shared or didn't share. i have no problems with that. she was allowed to be selfish too!
- By ariel1
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 9:52 pm
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katie couric's husband didn't die of a sexually transmitted disease! if we must compare we must find someone who became a spokesperson for a sexually transmitted disease that they are going to die from. think of all the many performers and artists who died of aids, another std, oh yea, i can't think of a one that came forward about it before they died. in fact i don't believe that any person in the public eye has ever come forward to discuss or admit that they have an std. its a deal breaker. everyone see's them differently after admitting 'i have a sexually transmitted disease.' no one to my knowledge has ever publicly admitted to having an std so why on earth would we be so naive to think that farrah fawcet would be the first one in the world to do so? please correct me if there is anyone in the public eye that discusses his or her std's.
- By ariel1
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 10:09 pm
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flowershoplady, you stated that you thought farrah was 'allowed to be selfish' by not chosing to discuss her std connection to her cancer. i don't think its for us to judge what she should or shouldn't say or whether she was being selfish when she was dieing.
- By flowershoplady
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 10:52 pm
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ariel, i'm agreeing with you about what farrah did or didn't say about her illness. maybe i wasn't clear about that. and yes, colon cancer isn't caused by an std....i was trying to use an example of an awareness campaign for something people don't like to discuss.
as for aids/hiv, the names that come to mind are magic johnson who shared publicly that he has aids, and rock hudson, before he died, said that he had aids (which he died from). personally, i don't think that aids can compare to hpv because so many people have hpv and because most people with hpv do not develop cancer.
- By chamomile
- Posted June 26, 2009 at 11:38 pm
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I wish there was recognition that hpv is not a sexually transmitted disease, as much as it a human disease. It is so common, and yet no one wants to think this could happen to them. This "no way, not me" attitude is certainly not helped by the risk factors for these diseases being described as, "having a high number of sexual partners". Why can't they just say that a risk factor is "having sexual contact with another who has had sexual contact with someone else in their life"? I know that statistically your chances of expose increase with each partner, but considering the huge number of women that are infected on their very first encounter, this risk factor isn't very accurate (in my humble opinion).
Also, not that it should matter but.....the fact that Farrah was such a beautiful icon who was afflicted with this kind of cancer (that does have an uncomfortable/embarrassing factor like colon cancer once did) I think helps to personalize and desensitize the disease. (If it would have been a gay porn star, then I'm afraid that it may have further stigmatized it). So, whether or not her cancer was hpv-related, the fact that she shared her personal story is a beginning.
I don't remember a time when breast cancer wasn't talked about, but it is a good example. So, perhaps we pick up the torch and keep going to educate others.
Ariel, thank you for your kind words. I thought of something after I was reading through the last few posts. I had a PET scan on Wednesday and when I was finished and getting dressed I overheard a couple of ladies talking who were waiting for their scans. From what I could tell either one or both had breast cancer. They were complaining that when Oprah featured Christina Applegate that she did not disclose her stage of cancer and more specifics on her type which may have affected her treatment and options and how the treatment can vary greatly. I guess my point is that we all would like to see our individual causes portrayed better /different than they are....and we're never happy ; )
- By scgirl76
- Posted June 27, 2009 at 9:41 am
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I don't think there is a 'right' or 'wrong' here. I do know that before my diagnosis my dad was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and amyloidosis. Only like 2000 cases of amyloidosis are diagnosed every year in the US! This is because there is NO funding, no one knows about it. For all we know thousands could be dying of it yearly. Anyways, people who have it are getting angry and speaking up. Farrah and Ryan chose to give us a glimpse into their world...her battle with cancer. People have been celebrating her for a long time..not just in death. If they choose to reveal that it was HPV related and the truth about HPV gets out there then maybe that's what it takes.
I asked my gyno about HPV because I was embarrassed, angry etc. and she said 99-100% of women (and obviously men) that have had unprotected (and some protected) sex at least 1x in their lives will get some strain of HPV. I asked my PCP and a gyno friend and they agreed.
I know in my town I am shouting it from the rooftops and also educating my children (teenagers) and have had a discussion w/my 16 year olds health teacher. My thinking w/the kids is if they are scared maybe there will be more talk, less partners, and hopefully, eventually more awareness.
I hope this all made sense - you are all always in my thoughts!
Hugs~
A
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