"Don't call me Lance"

[alpinerabbit]

"I'm no Lance Armstrong, don't call me Lance Armstrong," insisted Holland's Olympic swimming champion Maarten van der Weijden, who won an epic battle with Great Britain's David Davies in the men's 10k Open Water event this morning.

He also won an even more brutal fight with cancer eight years ago and was forced to take two years out from 2001 to win his fight against the disease.

"Armstrong says that positive thinking and doing a lot of sports can save you. I don't agree," said van der Weijden. "I even think it's dangerous because it implies that if you are not a positive thinker all the time you lose.

The doctors - and not just the power of positive thinking and my love of sport - have saved me. I am just lucky that the chemotherapy saved me. That's how simple it is."

p.s. there have been studies showing that the attitude of the cancer patient has little influence on prognosis.

[mimitabby]

and there have been other recent studies that have shown that exercise is good for you even with cancer!!

[salsabike]

Sure it's good for you. But it's not a magical cure and people who die from cancer aren't all at fault for not doing enough or not having the "right" attitude. My best friend's husband just died of pancreatic cancer, and I have never known anyone with a more positive attitude, or in better shape. I expect that was the point they were trying to make.

[BikeDutchess]

I think a positive attitude may result in a better quality of life (whether they win or lose their battle with cancer) but does not result in a better prognosis. I tend to agree with van der Weijden. Cancer patients have enough to cope with without being made to think that if they just can't muster that positive attitude, they are worsening their chances at survival.

[Trek420]

Where is the jersey that says "eat right, exercise, die anyway" .

My Dad had an ideal lifestyle, plenty of activity, tons of exercise - he was chopping wood right up to months before he died, enjoyed fresh local organic food much of which they grew themselves, kept his mind active with reading, music, being an activist ... sure he was in his 80's so it was not unexpected but cancer? Cancer? People who live like Trekdad don't get cancer

I think of it this way; his healthy active lifestyle let him and now my Mom still pretty much do what they want to/need to do. To me it's not about living forever, nobody gets out of this alive.

It's about being able to open the peanut butter jar, not just another sunrise but another sunrise on top of a hill I climbed or after a long walk.

The other day I was talking to a customer and she needed to look something up for me to help her. She said it was 3' away on her desk. "I'm 51!! Don't make me go get that, can we do this without that info. I'm 51!" Three feet away.

It's quality of life for as long as I can. And yes, I think he's right to credit his Dr's and their care and skill.

[Aggie_Ama]

I think a positive attitude helps the family of the cancer sufferer. My dad is in remission from colon cancer and I wouldn't have made it through if he weren't positive. I think he did it for my brother and me, we both tend to be melodramatic.

[Trek420]

I've read the opposite somewhere, that stubborn, cantankerous, grouchy, angry patients do best .... if the doctors and nurses don't kill them first for being stuborn, cantankerous, grouchy ....

AA, that's good news that your Dad is in remission!

[BikeDutchess]

I think a positive attitude helps the family of the cancer sufferer.

Very true. My mom's positive attitude really helped my dad (who does not have an optimistic nature at all) cope with her illness. Another component of quality of life - not just for the cancer sufferer but also those around her. Even after her death, the memories of how she looked for enjoyment in her life those last few years helps us cope better.