On 7/10/2008
kimberly61 wrote:
Have lung cancer and still smoke. Tired of being judged. Sick of the comments like oh you smoke. As if you deserve to have cancer. Want the support of another Lung Cancer patient that still continues to smoke. Contact me. I am thinking of starting a support group different from all the rest. One where you do not have to hide in the closet over your dirty little habit. --Message edited by CancerCompass staff. For personal protection, email address removed. Consider private reply. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at
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Dear Kimberly,
I can understand your anger. I've heard it said that smoking is more addicting to heroine and very, very hard to kick. I guess you have to ask yourself.....do you want to quit? Willingness if half the battle.
Yes, unfortunately in the politically correct world of ours, we are judged. You yourself say it's a "dirty little habit".
When people find out you have lung cancer and they ask you "do you smoke?" Ask them "why do you need to know or why do you ask". People are for a lack of a better word ignorent. Yes, it's a proven fact that smoking can cause lung cancer, but there are many, many out there who get lung cancer that don't or never did smoke AND were not around smokers to get "second hand smoke". Dana Reeve, Christopher Reeve's wife if one of them. I believe if you do a Google Search on her, you will find out more. Her sister has started a foundation for her type of lung cancer.
Then there are those dirty little comments from the likes of Jamie Lee Curtis who announced in AARP magazine that she doesn't feel sorry for smokers who get lung cancer and they should not get treatment. She's forgetting that she's a recovering alcoholic and is now being very self-righteous. Those people are not worth the time of day. Smoking is an addiction and it's a drug just like alcohol and heroine and the others.
Perhaps you do have a good idea about starting your own support group is the way to go. No matter what, this board will never judge you. I've met the most wonderful people on this site. I hope you'll give us a chance.
I wish you all the best and God Bless you. You are not alone.