Some thougts on cancer and money

Yup, I hear you on that.

Then again, think of the millions who are starved, tortured, the abuses inflicted upon women and children, or people run out of their countries by megalomaniac dictators ex. N. Korea, by some cultures, some of the African nations etc.  People affected by melanoma?  Not so much.  You almost have to look at it as cost per person affected.  If that crazy Putin and Kim Jung Il wish to blow us up then we won't have to worry about mel since we would all be extinguished.  Militaries are a sad but necessary evil because humans aren't always benevolent and respectful to each other.

Military technology also spills over into medicine ex. Davinci surgical robots, software and computer power to irradiate a moving target – thinking of Alan Carr who had radiosurgery to his heart and aorta to remove melanoma.  This wasn't even concieveable 15 years ago.  Thank military spending on tracking systems for that – the dime in the desert.  I am not being sarcastic, but perhaps that might make the bitter pill a little easier to swallow.

Yes, more $$ needs to go into melanoma research and treatment.  Fortunately I have been around long enough to see what it was like before all these great drugs came into being.  I also get "pink fatiuge".  Not everyone in this world gets breast cancer, but you wouldn't know it now would you……

The other problem I have is when "people" say they have the cure for cancer but Big Pharma doesn't want us to know.  Yeah right!  They get cancer as well and is a motivator for many who are in that industry.

Mother nature is very very powerful and the ability for cancer cells to invent new ways of beating our discoveries never ceases to amaze me.  It is always one step ahead of us, you gotta respect that.  Cancer is far more complex and ever changing, therefore while treatments will continue to evolve and hopefully become more effective with minimal side effects, the best we can hope for is to make it a chronic disease that we just "live" with instead of die from.

Again, it is very rare to find a cure, let alone for "all" cancers.  Even HIV patients live with lifelong meds to stay healthy.  Over time though, even those drugs can and do lose effectiveness.  Hopefully we die from old age before then, but not all patients are that lucky on that front either.

IMHO – when I leave this Earth I will ask that any monies go to the MRF or melanoma research rather than the bloated American Cancer Society with wasteful spending and appears to me to be a money making machine.  Yes they do good work, but really when you look at thier spending, I can't give my money to them.  That is REALLY the spending crime here.

The worst is HSUS – Humane Society for the U.S.  Less than 1% of funds go directly to help animals.  I think they got better after scrutiny but are still only around 2%.  They are also a front for PETA, ALF, and the animal defense leauge (sp?).  Militant animal rights groups that are off their rocker.  They are against ANY and ALL research involving animals.  Again, anti-cancer research…..

On a happy note, we have made great strides in understanding mel.  The spillover will impact immune studies and treatment for other cancers as well.  Melanoma has amazingly become the "hot, sexy" cancer to do researach in.  The money has also started to flow to those amazing researchers, and melanoma research is no longer considered a dead end for a career.  Have hope.  I am a survivor here because of the others who came before me.

Yup, I hear you on that.

Then again, think of the millions who are starved, tortured, the abuses inflicted upon women and children, or people run out of their countries by megalomaniac dictators ex. N. Korea, by some cultures, some of the African nations etc.  People affected by melanoma?  Not so much.  You almost have to look at it as cost per person affected.  If that crazy Putin and Kim Jung Il wish to blow us up then we won't have to worry about mel since we would all be extinguished.  Militaries are a sad but necessary evil because humans aren't always benevolent and respectful to each other.

Military technology also spills over into medicine ex. Davinci surgical robots, software and computer power to irradiate a moving target – thinking of Alan Carr who had radiosurgery to his heart and aorta to remove melanoma.  This wasn't even concieveable 15 years ago.  Thank military spending on tracking systems for that – the dime in the desert.  I am not being sarcastic, but perhaps that might make the bitter pill a little easier to swallow.

Yes, more $$ needs to go into melanoma research and treatment.  Fortunately I have been around long enough to see what it was like before all these great drugs came into being.  I also get "pink fatiuge".  Not everyone in this world gets breast cancer, but you wouldn't know it now would you……

The other problem I have is when "people" say they have the cure for cancer but Big Pharma doesn't want us to know.  Yeah right!  They get cancer as well and is a motivator for many who are in that industry.

Mother nature is very very powerful and the ability for cancer cells to invent new ways of beating our discoveries never ceases to amaze me.  It is always one step ahead of us, you gotta respect that.  Cancer is far more complex and ever changing, therefore while treatments will continue to evolve and hopefully become more effective with minimal side effects, the best we can hope for is to make it a chronic disease that we just "live" with instead of die from.

Again, it is very rare to find a cure, let alone for "all" cancers.  Even HIV patients live with lifelong meds to stay healthy.  Over time though, even those drugs can and do lose effectiveness.  Hopefully we die from old age before then, but not all patients are that lucky on that front either.

IMHO – when I leave this Earth I will ask that any monies go to the MRF or melanoma research rather than the bloated American Cancer Society with wasteful spending and appears to me to be a money making machine.  Yes they do good work, but really when you look at thier spending, I can't give my money to them.  That is REALLY the spending crime here.

The worst is HSUS – Humane Society for the U.S.  Less than 1% of funds go directly to help animals.  I think they got better after scrutiny but are still only around 2%.  They are also a front for PETA, ALF, and the animal defense leauge (sp?).  Militant animal rights groups that are off their rocker.  They are against ANY and ALL research involving animals.  Again, anti-cancer research…..

On a happy note, we have made great strides in understanding mel.  The spillover will impact immune studies and treatment for other cancers as well.  Melanoma has amazingly become the "hot, sexy" cancer to do researach in.  The money has also started to flow to those amazing researchers, and melanoma research is no longer considered a dead end for a career.  Have hope.  I am a survivor here because of the others who came before me.

Yup, I hear you on that.

Then again, think of the millions who are starved, tortured, the abuses inflicted upon women and children, or people run out of their countries by megalomaniac dictators ex. N. Korea, by some cultures, some of the African nations etc.  People affected by melanoma?  Not so much.  You almost have to look at it as cost per person affected.  If that crazy Putin and Kim Jung Il wish to blow us up then we won't have to worry about mel since we would all be extinguished.  Militaries are a sad but necessary evil because humans aren't always benevolent and respectful to each other.

Military technology also spills over into medicine ex. Davinci surgical robots, software and computer power to irradiate a moving target – thinking of Alan Carr who had radiosurgery to his heart and aorta to remove melanoma.  This wasn't even concieveable 15 years ago.  Thank military spending on tracking systems for that – the dime in the desert.  I am not being sarcastic, but perhaps that might make the bitter pill a little easier to swallow.

Yes, more $$ needs to go into melanoma research and treatment.  Fortunately I have been around long enough to see what it was like before all these great drugs came into being.  I also get "pink fatiuge".  Not everyone in this world gets breast cancer, but you wouldn't know it now would you……

The other problem I have is when "people" say they have the cure for cancer but Big Pharma doesn't want us to know.  Yeah right!  They get cancer as well and is a motivator for many who are in that industry.

Mother nature is very very powerful and the ability for cancer cells to invent new ways of beating our discoveries never ceases to amaze me.  It is always one step ahead of us, you gotta respect that.  Cancer is far more complex and ever changing, therefore while treatments will continue to evolve and hopefully become more effective with minimal side effects, the best we can hope for is to make it a chronic disease that we just "live" with instead of die from.

Again, it is very rare to find a cure, let alone for "all" cancers.  Even HIV patients live with lifelong meds to stay healthy.  Over time though, even those drugs can and do lose effectiveness.  Hopefully we die from old age before then, but not all patients are that lucky on that front either.

IMHO – when I leave this Earth I will ask that any monies go to the MRF or melanoma research rather than the bloated American Cancer Society with wasteful spending and appears to me to be a money making machine.  Yes they do good work, but really when you look at thier spending, I can't give my money to them.  That is REALLY the spending crime here.

The worst is HSUS – Humane Society for the U.S.  Less than 1% of funds go directly to help animals.  I think they got better after scrutiny but are still only around 2%.  They are also a front for PETA, ALF, and the animal defense leauge (sp?).  Militant animal rights groups that are off their rocker.  They are against ANY and ALL research involving animals.  Again, anti-cancer research…..

On a happy note, we have made great strides in understanding mel.  The spillover will impact immune studies and treatment for other cancers as well.  Melanoma has amazingly become the "hot, sexy" cancer to do researach in.  The money has also started to flow to those amazing researchers, and melanoma research is no longer considered a dead end for a career.  Have hope.  I am a survivor here because of the others who came before me.