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FIGHTING CANCER: An examination of society’s language and its impact in palliative care

FIGHTING CANCER: An examination of society’s language and its impact in palliative care. Heather Shantz, MN, RN, CHPCN(C) October 2012. Outline. The History of Battle Language in Cancer Understanding Metaphor The Role of Media in Promoting Battle Language

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FIGHTING CANCER: An examination of society’s language and its impact in palliative care

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  1. FIGHTING CANCER:An examination of society’s language and its impact in palliative care Heather Shantz, MN, RN, CHPCN(C) October 2012

  2. Outline • The History of Battle Language in Cancer • Understanding Metaphor • The Role of Media in Promoting Battle Language • Benefits of Using the Battle Metaphor • Potential Problems with Using Battle Language • Suggestions for Clinicians

  3. The History of Battle Language • 1936: Women’s Field Army • 1940’s and following: Mary Woodard Lasker • 1969: Commission on the Conquest of Cancer • 1971: National Cancer Act • 2001: Conquering Cancer: A National Battle Plan to Eradicate Cancer in our Lifetime

  4. Canadian Cancer Society: Join the Fight • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crXaLu9Ecmg

  5. Understanding Metaphor • Metaphora (Greek) = to transfer • Aristotle: “giving something a name that belongs to something else”

  6. Battle Language Invasion Blunt instruments Offensive Target Beat Enemy Army of killer T cells Resistant Stealth Cancer-fighting Fight Weapons Wipe out Attack Eradicate Defences Lethal Defeating Arsenal Destroyed Magic bullets Victims, survivors, heroes

  7. The Role of the Media in Promoting Battle Language

  8. Benefits of Using Battle Language • Obtaining funding • Summoning internal resources • Generating hope & optimism • Mobilizing fortitude & immunity • Countering fear • Dealing with fear of death by denial

  9. Potential Problems in Using Battle Language • Inadequate, conceptually weak • Isolating • Violent, paternalistic • Emphasizes technology to the exclusion of other aspects of the illness experience • Encourages behaviours at odds with health & living in the present • Leads to fear • Encourages burdensome therapies • Blame, shame • Limits support

  10. Suggestions for Clinicians • Listen • Respect • Explore • Gently challenge • Suggest alternative metaphors

  11. Explore the patient’s battle metaphor • “What does fighting the cancer look like for you?” • “What do you think would happen if you didn’t fight?” • “Do you think anything good could come from your experience with cancer?” • “How would you like this cancer to affect your character?” • “You have been told that this cancer is not curable. Are there other ways you can imagine living with this cancer, other than ‘fighting’ it?” • “If you could not lengthen your life, how could you make it wider and deeper?”

  12. Alternative Metaphors • Journey • Sports • Game • Drama • Dance • Teacher • Natural process • Work • Protest and peace

  13. How can we raise awareness with journalists and challenge them to find different metaphors when they write about our patients?

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