Saturday, November 18, 2006

Globe Story on Cancer



Today's Globe and Mail has a gripping narrative story entitled "Cancer: A Day in the Life".

Here is a brief excerpt about the story:

There are 153,100 new cases a year in Canada, about 420 a day, and each day also brings an average of 193 cancer deaths, more than 70,000 a year. But those numbers hide a more complex tale, one that includes thousands of shaken families, excruciating loneliness, yearning loss and deep transformation.

Today, launching a special series, The Globe and Mail looks at the disease from that vantage point — choosing one day, entirely at random, to present a panoramic view of how profoundly Canadian lives are shaped by cancer.

The Globe's Erin Anderssen spent five months interviewing dozens of patients and families, seeking to represent the breadth of cancer's impact, from toddlers to seniors, mothers to young bachelors. Next, she painstakingly reconstructed each person's unique June 15, building a narrative that runs from dawn through night.

...What you read may sadden and disturb you. It may galvanize and inspire you. It is a window into an all-too-common reality that cries out for understanding.

Cheers,

Colin