Benign doesn't mean HARMLESS!
- Oct 22, 2017
- 2 min read
So a few days ago another viral post started doing the rounds of a certain online dictionary showing the meaning of the medical term 'Benign' it said (of a disease) not harmful in effect. Now I don't know about all of you other brain tumour warriors out there but I was shocked and horrified, then I found another online definition it said the same as above but then added (of a tumour) not malignant, synonyms:Harmless. I couldn't believe it, it made me so angry. How could they possibly consider using such a word to describe brain tumours?!
A brain tumour is anything but harmless, benign brain tumours are just as harmful as cancerous ones, now don't get me wrong I'm not trying to take anything away from those with cancerous tumours wherever they have them but when a tumour is present in the brain there is no major difference between cancerous or benign. A tumour in the wrong spot is just as deadly whether its cancerous or benign. Tumours can't always be reached by surgical means and therefore people may have to undergo radiotherapy or even chemotherapy to help try to kill it off or just try to shrink it, so far the only difference I've found is how quickly they grow, even the grading system seems to be the same but then I'm not a professional, just someone who also had a "Benign" tumour and l don't mind sharing with you that it was no easy process having it removed. Every brain operation has the same risks, stroke, paralysis and death some have even more but I'm sure you get the point. Brain tumours kill! They are dangerous, scary and life changing if you survive them and has anyone thought about the people walking around with them in their head? Watch and wait the doctor's call it, how do people do that? could you walk around trying to live your life knowing there's a growing bomb in your head that suddenly might change your entire life forever? I couldn't, I did it for 4 months while I awaited my first crainiotomy and it was terrifying. I have so much admiration for those people on watch and wait and I think they get a raw deal medically but again that's just my opinion.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that there's so much to change and the only way we can do that is with awareness, the more people know, the more they'll hopefully understand so please share this and who knows
maybe we'll get just one person to understand.
P.S Don't forget, 1st webisode goes live on December the 1st 2017! Please Join us!
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