When Elizabeth Edwards died, many patients described experiencing powerful emotions, even though they'd never met her. In an article to clinicians entitled "Star Power," I explore why.
[excerpt from Oncology Times July 10, 2008]
Any time a celebrity joins the cancer club, weekly news magazines run reader-friendly reviews of state-of-the-art treatments. Fashion magazines and People cover the human interest side. And like an annoying little brother, tabloids dive in and splash across their front pages ghastly photos to support dire predictions.
Bigger-than-life, stars inspire philanthropists and patients with their triumphs over adversity....
[But}...problems can arise when patients feel connected to stars who share their diagnosis. For one thing, celebrities are not ordinary people, even if they do put on one pant (or pantyhose) leg at a time. Few stars...worry if they can afford their treatments.
The death of a star is more than news; it can snuff out patients' hope for themselves, given the real and perceived advantages of fame and fortune.
My advice to Healthy Survivors who feel distraught by a broadly publicized death is to realize their reaction is normal. And to keep in mind: "Your course is not linked to a star, even if you do share the same diagnosis."
Funny, I was just thinking about this very thing today...celebrities with cancer are not like the rest of us, as you said, money for treatment is rarely a concern. While I admired Farrah Fawcetts willingness to share her experience last year, my therapist pointed out to me that most of us out here would not be able to afford the type of treatment she sought out.
Posted by: Deb Konrad | January 03, 2011 at 02:35 PM
Thank you very much for this wise, generous and incisive post. The statement, "I like to hear success stories, not horror stories", which hundreds of cancer survivors have voiced in my online survey and in interviews, applies to celebrity cancer tales as well as personal anecdotes.
And unlike putting up a hand to stop the story-teller about to regale us with news of her cousin twice removed who died of lung cancer, it's not always possible to shield ourselves from celebrity news, as our eyes dart to headlines even as we pass by a newspaper stand.
You are a gift to survivors everywhere. Many thanks again.
Lori
Posted by: Lori Hope | January 04, 2011 at 07:29 AM