Love

I love this essay by Dr. Lawrence Einhorn from the Journal of Clinical Oncology. A longtime medical oncologist in Indiana, he writes about the power of love. Can it cure cancer? Sadly, not. But we all know the magic and strength of loving and of being beloved.

Rather than poorly paraphrasing his words, I give you the start and a link to read more. Enjoy!

Love in the Time of Cancer

Lawrence H. Einhorn

As a clinical oncologist for over 40 years, I have often wondered about the factors that drive patients to battle seemingly insurmountable odds with hope and determination. After all these years, I turn to love, in all its many forms, as a compelling force helping our patients combat the uncertainties associated with a cancer diagnosis. Love cannot conquer all—that we know only too well—but it can provide comfort in troubling and unpredictable times, and propel our patients ever forward against the terrible disease they face. The maudlin sentimentality of some works of fiction pales in comparison with the courage and resilience that characterize our patients. As I move toward the end of my career, I more fully realize that it is love that lies behind the resilience of so many of our patients, much like Noble laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez described in his novel Love in the Time of Cholera, in which he demonstrated the power of devotion and enduring love during difficult times over the lifetime of his protagonists.

Read more: http://ascopubs.org/doi/pdf/10.1200/JCO.2017.73.9755