Don't tell cancer patients they are 'brave', says Macmillan following poll

Loved-ones should not tell cancer sufferers they are brave because this risks putting them under pressure to appear positive, Macmillan Cancer Support has said. Six out of 10 people with cancer do not want to be described as a fighter, while many object to the suggestion they are battling the disease, a survey suggests, a new survey by the charity has found. The poll found many felt that battling or fighting words were inappropriate to describe them - but equally they do not want to be called a hero. Many prefer factual language to be used to describe themselves and the disease, rather than being considered cancer stricken or a cancer victim, the results suggest. The survey of more than 2,000 people who have or have had cancer found that words such as hero, cancer victim and cancer stricken were inappropriate as they were disempowering (42 per cent), isolating (24 per cent) and put people under pressure to be positive (30 per cent). People with cancer most hated being described as cancer stricken, followed by being a hero and then a cancer victim. When it comes to death, 64 per cent said people should be described as having died from cancer, with others preferring passed away. Meanwhile more than four in ten thought it was inappropriate to say someone had lost their battle while 37 per cent objected to the idea they had lost their fight. Most said this was because it implied somebody was defeated by cancer while many thought it undermined a person's strength and courage. Karen Roberts, chief nursing officer at Macmillan, said: "We know that there is no such thing as a 'typical' person with cancer, so it follows that people will prefer different ways of talking about it. "We hear from people every day who face this problem, that at its worst could even stop people getting the support they need. "By drawing attention to this we want to encourage more people to talk about the words they prefer to hear, and stop the damage that can be caused to people's wellbeing and relationships."

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