MUST SEE TV: Koppel on Discovery

LIVING WITH CANCER

More than 10 million Americans are living with cancer. As early detection has become more prevalent and as treatments have become more effective, many cancer survivors are finding that they can treat their cancer as a chronic disease.

On Sunday, May 6, Discovery Channel presents a special three-hour broadcast of Koppel on Discovery dedicated to the discussion of living with cancer.

In a live town hall meeting at Discovery Communications headquarters, Ted Koppel will be joined by Elizabeth Edwards, wife of presidential candidate John Edwards; Lance Armstrong, seven-time Tour de France champion; and Leroy Sievers, Koppel's longtime executive producer and friend — each of whom will discuss their experience with coping with a cancer diagnosis.

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The show LIVING WITH CANCER aired this evening from 8pm-11pm EST on the Discovery Channel. It was VERY well done! They'll be re-airing the show Monday evening. THIS SHOW is worth watching! So many things were said, that needed saying. So much insight into what our world is really like.

Only two things I was disappointed in, with regard to the cancer discussion:

1) Lack of coverage about the role of the primary caretaker while "we" are "Living With Cancer",

and

2) The role of Faith in the battle with cancer.

Lance Armstrong is clearly fighting for cancer patients full time, and made some good points about doctors "investing" themselves in their patients, and not simply treating them as disease. It seems Lance never let a single thought of being defeated by cancer enter his mind. I had to giggle when Lance admitted trying to come up with different ways to try and get his oncologist to be "his buddy", emotionally fooling himself into believing that if the doctor was willing to invest himself emotionally, then all would be well. Oh, how true that is!

Elizabeth Edwards pointed out that more should have been said about the role of the caretaker, and also expressed her gratitude for her oncology nurse, stating that every cancer patient probably knows their nurse's full name by heart!

Leroy Sievers made so many poignant statements, you simply have to watch the show to hear them all. His story is our story, and the story of so many millions who are battling cancer. What stood out the most was his comment about how "cancer patients live each day with one foot in their world (the healthy world cancer patients used to know), and one foot on ours".

Anyway, I didn't want to go to bed without telling you all about this program. I do hope you'll invest the time to watch it. So much of what we can't explain about what we're dealing with and going through, is expressed very well through Koppel and his beloved friend Leroy.

Night all

PitterPat