Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Fear, anger, and loss should have burned me out. But it hasn’t.

James C. Salwitz, MD
Physician
December 31, 2015
Share
Tweet
Share

Three decades at cancer’s bedside has taught me about fear. I have seen denial postpone critical diagnosis.   I have watched mistrust and anger yield poor choice. I have fought against terror that spreads malignancy by delaying treatment.  I have shared fury and devastation as horrid growths rip apart bodies, destroy families and end life.

After so many thousands of patients, so many wasted lives, you would think I would have given up. Fear, anger and loss should have burned me out. Have I not accepted that man’s fate is to suffer and die? Cancer wins. We lose.

The opposite is my truth. I have seen the glory that is man. I see great victories, miracles, every day. The courage of patients, friends and families. The sweat, work and brilliance of visionaries, scientists and great physicians. I see stunning breakthroughs and new horizons today and coming so quickly, in tomorrows near. The losses of a career have taught about courage and the infinite ability of man to conquer. The destruction of disease has taught that the enemy of hope is fear.

Once again and always, we face another disease. That societal sickness is the growth of hate. As with cancer, it is fed by fear. As with cancer, it is spread by ignorance. As with cancer, mistrust, and anger result it pathologically horrible decisions destroying dreams, opportunity and lives. Hate is a disgusting, oozing, bleeding, aberrant tissue that kills.

Hate feeds off ignorance. Like a depleted immune system, it grows when fear and confusion open lethal opportunity by suppressing reason, communication and trust. In those vital moments, when those who would choose love and community are too confused or scarred to speak, hate spreads its lethal metastasis. Hate wins. We lose.

However, I have seen the glory that is man, and I know of his courage to fight disease. A cancer found early is weak, flimsy and, deprived of cause and nourishment, no more than a few dead cells under the surgeon’s knife. Such is hate. Dreams, reason and courage, vanquish irrational fear; the spread of hate can be stopped and the horror it threatens, will fade.

When faced with cancerous growth, a healer has a calling and an opportunity to act. If the doctor and patient can overcome fear, and, with trust, work together, there is hope for cure. Faced with cancerous hate, we are called and must act. Sprouting from ignorant anger in a putrid soil of fear, hate grows until it threatens every child, every mother, every father, and every soul. Only if we can overcome hate, is there is hope for life.

James C. Salwitz is an oncologist who blogs at Sunrise Rounds.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

These are the words medical educators should think about

December 30, 2015 Kevin 0
…
Next

How physicians can curb the prescription opioid epidemic

December 31, 2015 Kevin 11
…

Tagged as: Oncology/Hematology

Post navigation

< Previous Post
These are the words medical educators should think about
Next Post >
How physicians can curb the prescription opioid epidemic

ADVERTISEMENT

More by James C. Salwitz, MD

  • Each line on the radiology list is a patient’s line in the sand

    James C. Salwitz, MD
  • The broader mission for hospice care

    James C. Salwitz, MD
  • Is the medical profession at its end?

    James C. Salwitz, MD

Related Posts

  • How social media leads to a loss of creativity

    Edwin Leap, MD
  • This physician is burned out. But not for the reason you think.

    Anonymous
  • The miscalculated fear of an opioid crisis in Haiti

    Kenny Moise, MD
  • In the face of uncertainty, choose hope over fear

    Shreya Kumar
  • A medical student’s biggest fear

    Ariana Trautmann
  • A physician’s addiction to social media

    Amanda Xi, MD

More in Physician

  • Why more doctors are choosing direct care over traditional health care

    Grace Torres-Hodges, DPM, MBA
  • How to handle chronically late patients in your medical practice

    Neil Baum, MD
  • How early meetings and after-hours events penalize physician-mothers

    Samira Jeimy, MD, PhD and Menaka Pai, MD
  • Why medicine must evolve to support modern physicians

    Ryan Nadelson, MD
  • Why listening to parents’ intuition can save lives in pediatric care

    Tokunbo Akande, MD, MPH
  • Finding balance and meaning in medical practice: a holistic approach to professional fulfillment

    Dr. Saad S. Alshohaib
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Why timing, not surgery, determines patient survival

      Michael Karch, MD | Conditions
    • Why health care leaders fail at execution—and how to fix it

      Dave Cummings, RN | Policy
    • How digital tools are reshaping the doctor-patient relationship

      Vineet Vishwanath | Tech
  • Past 6 Months

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • The hidden health risks in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

      Trevor Lyford, MPH | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • Why ADHD in women requires a new approach [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • AI is already replacing doctors—just not how you think

      Bhargav Raman, MD, MBA | Tech
    • Why doctors must stop ignoring unintentional weight loss in patients with obesity

      Samantha Malley, FNP-C | Conditions
    • Why more doctors are choosing direct care over traditional health care

      Grace Torres-Hodges, DPM, MBA | Physician
    • Why hospitals are quietly capping top doctors’ pay

      Dennis Hursh, Esq | Conditions
    • Why point-of-care ultrasound belongs in emergency department triage

      Resa E. Lewiss, MD and Courtney M. Smalley, MD | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 1 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Why timing, not surgery, determines patient survival

      Michael Karch, MD | Conditions
    • Why health care leaders fail at execution—and how to fix it

      Dave Cummings, RN | Policy
    • How digital tools are reshaping the doctor-patient relationship

      Vineet Vishwanath | Tech
  • Past 6 Months

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
    • The hidden health risks in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

      Trevor Lyford, MPH | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • Why ADHD in women requires a new approach [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • AI is already replacing doctors—just not how you think

      Bhargav Raman, MD, MBA | Tech
    • Why doctors must stop ignoring unintentional weight loss in patients with obesity

      Samantha Malley, FNP-C | Conditions
    • Why more doctors are choosing direct care over traditional health care

      Grace Torres-Hodges, DPM, MBA | Physician
    • Why hospitals are quietly capping top doctors’ pay

      Dennis Hursh, Esq | Conditions
    • Why point-of-care ultrasound belongs in emergency department triage

      Resa E. Lewiss, MD and Courtney M. Smalley, MD | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Fear, anger, and loss should have burned me out. But it hasn’t.
1 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...