The Cancer Card

Dr. Wendy Harpham has a great blog called On Healthy Survivorship (that I've linked to before, for postings I have both agreed and disagreed with).  Her most recent post is called "The Cancer Card."

"The Cancer Card" is what cancer patients play (or don't play) in an attempt to get their way. As in, "Can I have that last piece of pizza? I have cancer." Or saying to the ice cream vendor at a minor league ballpark, as he hands you a plastic helmet full of cookies-n-cream, "I have cancer," in the hopes of getting free sprinkles. I've been doing it for a long, long time -- look back at some early Lympho Bob entries. (Unfortunately, while I've been playing the card, it hasn't really worked; my blog entries mostly talk about family and friends not taking pity on me, and forcing me to do the dishes anyway, or stand up to drink my beer at the bar because they won't give up their seat.)

A few weeks ago, I discussed a New York Times article on cancer and humor, which featured this comic from Marisa Acocella Marchetto:

Anyway, Dr. Harpham throws a little cold water on this. She says that, playing the Cancer Card can be a good thing -- it could get you something good, and could also make someone else feel better by doing something nice for a cancer patient. But, on the other hand, playing the card can make you stand out, maybe in ways that you don't want to. Lots of us don't want to be treated differently, and playing the card guarantees that you will.

But you know what I say? Screw it. Play the card. At least every now and then. You earned it. Own it. (And if your experience in anything like  mine, all you're going to get out of it is a blog entry, anyway.)