Faking Cancer

[Leigh]

Last night I came across the new anti smoking ad on the SMH site [here (http://media.smh.com.au/?rid=20713&sy=smh&source=smh.com.au%2Fnews%2Fnational%2Fthe-art-of-faking-cancer%2F2006%2F07%2F28%2F1153816364877.html&t=1A8S28&player=wm6&rate=4125&flash=0&ie=0)]
I thought it was very shocking and confronting.

Today Naomi pointed out another article (http://http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/the-art-of-faking-cancer/2006/07/28/1153816364877.html), saying that the woman doesn't have cancer, it's all SXF. What on earth is the point of that, how is showing people fake pictures going to convince them of what smoking does, and get them to quit?

[mel35]

When I first saw the ad yesterday I didn't really think she had cancer, I wondered if it was real or not.

[Telori]

The thing about those pictures is in my whole life I have NEVER seen anyone looking remotely like them...and I know and have known alot of people who smoked and still smoke...The worse I have seen is a man with a 'stoma'(sp) the thing in the throat but he still smoked and he was well in his 50's before he got the thing in his throat...and he is still alive now and nearly 70...

The more realistic ads are the ones where people are fighting for breath trying to play with their kids...and where you cant shout because the smoke hurts your throat...these use to be on years ago...

[Naomi]

The thing is ... I have seen videos of people who look worse that she does, who really do/did get cancer from smoking. I did speech pathology at Uni, we saw videos of people whose whole cheeks and lips had to be reconstructed due to smoking related carcinomas ... so it does happen but I don't understand why they don't use people who really do have cancer of the mouth. It would actually make the ads more believable ...

[grammyjo]

The people with cancer know what smoking can & will do. The actors only pretend. They've used cancer victims in the past, why change now?

JO

[rainyday1016]

On a similiar subject their was a lady here in U.S. that a news special was done on last week. She let her friends,family, children and husband believe that she had a rare cancer and wasn't going to make it 6 months. People throughout the community felt sorry for the situation donated money and helped anyway they could (babysit for appointments and such) She never had cancer and went as far as having a bandage on her chest for the chemo treatments. She was found to be going to the mall and tannning. She has now lost her kids and friends. Husband swears he didn't know anything about it because he was working 2 jobs to support family. He finally left her.
The things people will do for money!!!!

[CarolineBreck]

That is gross. One of my good friends had a roommate in college who told her that she had ovarian cancer. She had to move out, etc. Well, then Holly started getting calls from her landlord that the other girl wasn't paying her part of the rent.

When Holly's parents called the girls parents to work out the problem her mom was like "We understand this time must be hard for you..."

Well, the mom of the girl was like "What are you talking about?..."

Turns out the girl just wanted attention from her friends, etc. She had lied about the whole thing. What is WRONG with people??

[grammyjo]

Rainyday, that was just last week wasn't it?

JO

[Mimi1]

i saw the news report on the lady who faked she had cancer. i was furious! my sister died of colon cancer, my niece just had her colon removed because of cancer and i fortunately found colon cancer by accident 23 yrs. ago and beat it before it beat me. the lady who faked cancer really pissed me off. her husband had to be an idior, brain dead, or in on the scam. her poor family and friends. i saw too many people die from cancer and its not pretty. people who never smoked. the colon cancer in my family must be a wekness in the genes. that lady pissesme off. the more i think of her the madder i get.
Mimi1

[sandydee]

Last night I came across the new anti smoking ad on the SMH site [here (http://media.smh.com.au/?rid=20713&sy=smh&source=smh.com.au%2Fnews%2Fnational%2Fthe-art-of-faking-cancer%2F2006%2F07%2F28%2F1153816364877.html&t=1A8S28&player=wm6&rate=4125&flash=0&ie=0)]
I thought it was very shocking and confronting.

Today Naomi pointed out another article (http://http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/the-art-of-faking-cancer/2006/07/28/1153816364877.html), saying that the woman doesn't have cancer, it's all SXF. What on earth is the point of that, how is showing people fake pictures going to convince them of what smoking does, and get them to quit?
i seen that ad for the first time last night and i thought it was quite confronting:yes: even if she might look fake ,it still got to me:yes:

[rainyday1016]

i saw the news report on the lady who faked she had cancer. i was furious! my sister died of colon cancer, my niece just had her colon removed because of cancer and i fortunately found colon cancer by accident 23 yrs. ago and beat it before it beat me. the lady who faked cancer really pissed me off. her husband had to be an idior, brain dead, or in on the scam. her poor family and friends. i saw too many people die from cancer and its not pretty. people who never smoked. the colon cancer in my family must be a wekness in the genes. that lady pissesme off. the more i think of her the madder i get.
Mimi1

Definitely could be a gene thing. My father was third generation to be diagnosed with colon cancer and his doctor recommended my brother and I get checked early as he was only in his mid 40's. Turns out he has a rare form that is genetic called Muir-torre syndrome.

yes Jo it was on the news last week.

[daydragon]

I was wondering about that when i saw the add..... It looked awful, i thought it may not be a real case & i have family & friends who have had cancer , but maybe the family of real cancer patients dont want their loved ones to be remembered in this way..rather, the way they truely lived! And if the message of smoking's dangers can reach people more profoundly with these images, even if they are a mimick of what can really happen, then...so be it! There are also some cultures within our society that find it quite offensive to use people in this way. The message is still getting through!

I cant believe anyone could have so little decency to pretend they have cancer to their family & friends like that either!!