TO THE EDITOR:
The Daily Tar Heel has been a welcome distraction during my treatment for acute leukemia.
So much so that when I went into remission and was able to return to school at UNC, I joined the DTH as a photographer for my final year.
Unfortunately, my leukemia has returned and I am once again stuck in the hospital. But, on the bright side, I was looking forward to having the DTH help me pass my time.
This joy turned to anger and frustration when I read the implication in Jesus Gonzalez-Ventura’s column that cancer of any kind (because there was not a certain one pointed out — just cancer) is preventable or reversible based on a certain diet.
This sweeping generalization is a huge misconception and one that I, and most other cancer patients, are tired of hearing — even when it is meant in the most sincere of ways.
There is nothing more outrageous than being told by complete strangers that I, or anyone, could have prevented and or reversed a deadly disease based on my diet especially when no one knows for sure what caused it in the first place.
This is a dangerous misconception that you could have easily avoided by adding a qualifier of “some preventable forms of cancer” can be avoided and/or reversed based on diet.
I plan on still enjoying the DTH throughout my countless hospital stays to come, but this has left me with a bad taste in my mouth from something that once brought me great joy.
