May 17th, 2005
Celebrities and cancer - a good time to talk about it?
Having recently read a post about the perils of breast lumps and cancer over on thinking out loud, I was sad to see this morning that Kylie Minogue has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Thankfully we’re getting better at talking about things like cancer in this country but more than getting the illness itself, is the way people respond to the disease. The big C is something no one wants to chat about over a cup of tea and a hobnob but if no one talks about it, the chances are people are ignorant or oblivious to the fact that anyone can get it. People assume it won’t happen to them. The number of women I know - late-20s upwards - who have never been for a smear test is more frightening than cancer itself.
Kylie has done some work and donated a lot to breast cancer charities but should it really take high profile women getting the disease to wake up a lot of young women to go for check-ups?
It’s a bit early in the morning for a cancer rant but hey, I’ve been down that road and it’s not fun.
Here’s hoping Kylie’s cancer is treatable, the treatment is not too horrible and that she’s back to her diva pop queen self in no time.