Patrick Swayze, an actor best known for his role in the film, “Dirty Dancing” is in the fight for his life. Swayze has started speaking publicly about living (and dying) with an advanced stage of pancreatic cancer. 

In a recent TV interview (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzChdLdmI9w), he said that he did not want to be “a poster child” for any cause. But after the candid interview he gave, Mr. Swayze, is now the face of cancer for millions of people.

 

There have been many famous people who have fought cancer in the public eye. They remind us of their bravery and optimism but appear more worried about their public image or raising money for their private foundations than truly helping or educating. We buy into their sound bites and don’t get emotionally invested into their fight. We aren’t challenged to care about what should be a common cause. After all, they’re going to be just fine.

 

Swayze is different. He didn’t use this disease to bolster his celebrity and he didn’t choose a public relations strategy to “manage” or “spin” the unpleasantness. He simply chose to be human- wide open and “in your face”.

 

He told us that he is angry, scared and tired but that he is fighting the disease with everything he has. Some days he is courageous, other days he is not. He spoke of the need to have hope in order to feel fully human and to have purpose. His dignified yet bold answers to the (sophomoric) questions of life were refreshing even if they made you feel uneasy. The eloquence of his harsh words rang true for all cancer patients whether he intended them to or not.

 

This truth-talking was helpful for the national conscience because

 

 AIDS advocates did a great job of getting their message out in the 90’s. Empathy, then funding flowed to the research. Cancer advocates have yet to make the same impact. Is it because cancer is over 200 diseases which have divided our interests? Is it because cancer has always been around and it isn’t the sexy new “disease of the week”? Are we resigned that cancer is our fate and we would rather ignore it until it taps us on our shoulders? Have we become numb to it because it seems so common?  

 

Whatever the reason, we need Swayze to continue to speak the truth about this disease to raise awareness, empathy capital and money for research. And we must encourage those with a similar platform to speak with the same frankness and openness that Swayze did. Maybe then, funding for cancer research and clinical trial support will make a much needed resurgence.

 

Yul Brynner may have been a pioneer in this regard.  He was a legendary actor of the stage and screen who died from lung cancer in 1985.  Before his death, he made a public service commercial to tell people the dangers of smoking. The plan was to air the spot after his death. This anti-smoking campaign may have been far more legendary and impactful than his acting career as more people stopped smoking and more research monies flowed as a direct result. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNjunlWUJJI)

 

Ten million people are living with cancer today and each year two million more are diagnosed. Chances are it will tap you on the shoulder… and we are not ready.

 

We need more warriors like Brynner and Swayze who are willing to take us on their journey so that we can come to an understanding of what CANCER really is and how we must do everything possible to eradicate it from the face of this earth.