Sir, - The administrator of Schizophrenia Ireland, Orla O'Neill, wrote about the misuse of the word schizophrenia and the distress such misuse causes to people with this illness (November 28th). The misuse of the word cancer causes distress also, to those with cancer and their families. A correspondent (November 10th) hideously referred to "runaway house inflation" as "the fatal cancer which is hideously eating out the vitality of the Irish body politic". People, particularly politicians, often use such similes with reference to the ills damaging our society. The inference is that cancer corrupts, erodes and destroys. Is it any wonder that when people are told they have cancer they are terrified?
People are cured of cancer or can live for years with it as a chronic disease. It is time we changed our distorted image of this illness to a more positive one. As a start we can stop using the word cancer as a metaphor for evil and death. - Yours, etc.,
Crannagh Road, Dublin 14.