Part of the Answer

During a long wait for our winter tyres / "tires" a couple of weeks ago, I wandered into a small park I hadn't seen before, the recently opened Cancer Survivors' Park not far from the hospital where local cancer patients often go for treatment. It was full of information or inducements to positive thinking carved onto plaques (in two languages) attached to unfortunately tomblike stones around the park's perimeter. Apparently the inspiration and funding for such parks, of which there are several in North America, came from a Mr Bloch, who with the help of his wife once made a dramatic, unexpected recovery from "terminal" lung cancer.

A sculpted group of eight human figures appears in a maze of doors or hurdles, their faces showing fear, determination, hope, joy ... depending on whereabouts they are on the symbolic journey. The sculptor's name is Victor Salmones and he called his creation a labour of love. It is entitled: Cancer, there is hope!

It is the most feared disease in North America, but according to what I read in the park it is also the most curable. Apparently, cells in our bodies divide "wildly" around six times a day, but as a rule our immune system recognises and kills off these potential cancers, unless for some reason our defences have become compromised.

Here are the encouragements I read (in no particular order; I have paraphrased some and strung some separate statements together):

1. Promise yourself to defend yourself as hard as you can. "Sans exceptions," adds the French translation. The commitment you make is the most important part of your treatment.
2. You can be part of the Answer.
3. Knowledge heals. Seek and accept support. Find a physician who believes you can be successfully treated, get second opinions, get prompt and proper treatment.
4. You are the boss. This is your life.
5. Eat well-balanced meals and don't go on any fad diets. Exercise, but don't overdo it. Be selfish. Stress accelerates cancer; try to relax.
6. Visual imagery can help you; so can a religious faith.
7. Gather all your resources and concentrate on getting rid of the cancer: "now you have a chance!"
8. Make plans and set yourself goals.
9. Don't forget that many people have conquered this and that the majority of cancer sufferers are cured.
10. Make up your mind that once your cancer is gone, you are through with it.

A week later I was driving past the same park where a couple of cars had pulled over to the side of the road with their emergency lights flashing. A couple of friends of mine were in the car in front which had been damaged by the car behind, driven, so I heard afterwards, by a woman in tears, rushing to the hospital because her husband was dying.

I can't help feeling that, spirited though they are, anyone who has just lost or is about to lose someone precious through this disease might see irony in those messages in the park and find them insensitive, but maybe I'm wrong, maybe that's just my European wariness of American optimism (or of sentimentality?) kicking in.