can·cer

noun

1. the disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body.

"He's got cancer."

• a malignant growth or tumor resulting from the division of abnormal cells.
  plural noun: cancers

• a practice or phenomenon perceived to be evil or destructive and hard to contain or eradicate
  "racism is a cancer sweeping across Europe"

What really is cancer though? Is it really a disease? Is it really as "evil and destructive" as people make it seem? Some could say it is a blessing, some could say it's a curse. It really is all about perspective, and how you take something. Cancer could be the worst thing in the world, or it could be a blessing to some. You just need to hear their reasoning from their point of view.

As a cancer survivor, I know my views if the illness but I was curious about how other people perceived the illness. So I asked people of all sorts--cancer survivors, fighters, and supporters--to finish this sentence for me. "Cancer is ____ but it is not _____. I was curious as to what kind of answers I would get, but I put my trust into strangers to answer the question for me.

"Cancer is a thief but it is not going to steal MY husband." -Krista B. 44, Cancer Supporter of Acute Leukemia.

"Cancer is wicked, but is it not winning." -Anne J. 47, Fighter of Ovarian Cancer

"Cancer is overwhelming, but it is not the end of your story."- Kelly F. Survivor and Fighter of Hodgkin's Lymphoma

"Cancer is terrifying, but is not a death sentence."- Michelle T. 43, Survivor of Hodgkin's Lymphoma

"Cancer is life-changing but it is not life-defining."- Stacie P. 36, Survivor of Brain Cancer

"Cancer is a set back, but it is not the end."- Tommy C. 21, Supporter

"Cancer is life-changing but it is not all for the worse."- Tinu A. 44, Fighter of Lymphoma.

So after hearing these sentences from complete strangers, I began to think. Cancer should not be used as such scary word. Yes, cancer can be an awful, terrifying thing, but it should not be looked at in only negative ways. Families can become closer, people can become healthier and survivors are made. So next time you meet someone who has or has had cancer, don't jump to conclusions and look at them and think they have an immediate death sentence, because they are much more than that. They all have a story, and yes cancer is apart of that story, but it may not be the end chapter. They are powerful. They are smart. They are strong. They are happy. They are much more than sick. They are humans winning a battle.