Orr: Former patients testify to end cancer taboos

cancer. word often Muharram And associated with death. In order to change the perception of young people about the disease, Fanny Payen, President of the Teen Center Mesnil-en-Ouche (Eure), organized a meeting on Friday, October 13, 2023 in the Teenagers’ Area.

About fifteen teens and about ten participants from the “Facing Cancer, Let’s Free Our Voices” discussion group, which includes people with or in remission from cancer, discussed this topic together.

A moment of listeningsometimes difficult, but full of kindness from the youngest to put an end to cancer taboos and talk freely about the disease.

Exchange without taboos

Around a large circle the two groups meet. From the beginning, conditions are stated.

It’s not taboo when everyone is talking about it His journey with illnessBut each in his own way. Richard is the first to start. He takes the floor to talk about it His three cancers.

In front of the youth Attentive and caringThe testimonies continue with some questions from the young people. “What is chemotherapy?” “, “Does it hurt?” “.

It is difficult to get teenagers to talk, but the participants manage to engage with them.

Some speeches are more sober, while others are bold kidding Like Julian, he was cured of prostate cancer.

“I became a star. I was on the radio 40 times,” he says with a laugh, referring to the 40 sessions of radiotherapy he underwent to kill cancer cells.

However, former patients are not hiding Difficulty From their trials. “It’s invisible, but we are vulnerable,” says Richard, a farmer.

“My treatment took seven years,” explains Françoise, who also had three types of cancer.

but be positive It remains everyone’s motto, like Therese, who had cancer in her lower abdomen. “When people ask me how I’m doing, I always say, ‘Very great.’”

Say something about cancer

Before the meeting, Fanny Payen invited the Bernay association Les Trois Parques (she regularly speaks to the public about health) to discuss cancer and prepare them to meet former patients.

First step to Demystifying the diseaseWhich is often associated with death, which some young people have experienced in their families.

In this sense, social media is not necessarily a bad thing.

“Some of the personalities that young people follow talk freely about their battle against the disease, which makes it easier to communicate with them,” confirms the head of the teen center.

These different interventions also aim at transfer Prevention messages Among teenagers.

When we tell them they have to wear sunscreen, some tell me they don’t want to, because they won’t be able to tan. Some may be surprised that breast cancer can also affect men, or they have never heard of HPV.

The discussion group participants also declined The importance of examinationWhich saved the life of a survivor in whom breast cancer was discovered thanks to the Primary Health Insurance Fund campaign directed to those over the age of fifty.

Everyone shares this joy of living. “It is a shame that we have to go through these ordeals to realize that life is beautiful. You have to make the most of it!” As they remind us several times, “Death is not the end, we are here in front of you.”

Finally, the teens distributed small heart-shaped pillows that they sewed themselves. An emotional moment until the end.

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