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MGH Cancer Center

What We Talk About [When We Talk About Cancer]

A Mass General Hospital Cancer Center Community Conversation

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Hope
Battling
Care
Community
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Fear
Healthy
Survivor
Support
Everyday Amazing
Strength
Gift
Wish
Global Oncology
Change
Trust
What Does

Trust

Mean to You?

In God we trust

Angela D | Patient | 07-29-2015

As there is no cure for cancer, so much has to be left to trust.  Trust in our doctors who recommend treatment.  Trust in the

What Does

Change

Mean to You?

I’d change their hearts and minds

Theresa M | Patient | 07-22-2015

I would change, if I could, my relationships with my daughters. They aren’t part of my life now

What Does

Global Oncology

Mean to You?

“Not only medicines make patients feel better. Dancing can do that too!” – Dr. Zola

Liz B | Clinician | 05-13-2015

I’ve shared several posts now about the challenges and frustrations I’ve encountered

What Does

Wish

Mean to You?

Our Conversation on “Wish”

Editor | 04-07-2015

Our conversation on the word “wish” will continue, but we wanted to look back at some of the comments and perspectives that have come in so far.

What Does

Gift

Mean to You?

Our Conversation on “Gift”

Editor | 06-04-2015

Our conversation on the word “gift” will continue, but we wanted to look back at some of the comments and perspectives that have come in so far. Our contributors speculated

What Does

Strength

Mean to You?

Our Conversation on “Strength”

Editor | 06-21-2015

Our conversation on the word “strength” will continue, but we wanted to look back at some of the comments and perspectives that have come in so far.

What Does

Everyday Amazing

Mean to You?

Hear About Everyday Amazing @ Mattapan Health Care Revival

What Does

Support

Mean to You?

Ongoing “Support” Conversation

Editor | 06-25-2014

Our conversation about the concept of “support” continues on, but so far it seems interesting to reflect on where the conversation has gone over the last few weeks. Some of our contributors focused their perspectives on the challenges

What Does

Survivor

Mean to You?

Ongoing “Survivor” Conversation

Editor |

This month’s conversation about what “survivor” means to many of us continues on, but let’s look back on the many ideas that have come up so far, there were some disagreements…

What Does

Healthy

Mean to You?

Ongoing “Healthy” Conversation

Editor |

This month’s conversation about “healthy” will continue, but we wanted to look back over some of the perspectives and comments so far, to try and get a better sense of the different things this word can mean to each of … Continued

What Does

Fear

Mean to You?

Ongoing “Fear” Conversation

Editor |

Our discussion of “Fear” continues on “What We Talk About (when we talk about cancer)”. Before we start our new topic, “Battling”….

What Does

Family

Mean to You?

Ongoing “Family” Conversation

Editor |

Our conversation about the word “Family” continues, but before we introduce our next topic word, we wanted to look back over the perspectives and comments we received thus far.

What Does

Community

Mean to You?

The “Community” Conversation

Editor |

The conversation about what “community” means to us continues on, but let’s review what has been discussed so far. Jennifer wrote in our most recent perspective piece, having a community around every person affected by cancer is a vital part … Continued

What Does

Care

Mean to You?

Ongoing “Care” Conversation

Editor |

So far we’ve had a fascinating discussion this month on all the ways we think about “care”. Before we introduce our next topic word (which will be “survivor”), it seemed valuable to write a summary post about what came out … Continued

What Does

Battling

Mean to You?

Ongoing “Battling” Conversation

Editor |

Our discussion about “Battling” continues on, but here is what we have discussed so far. This was an interesting debate, not because there was lot of disagreement about whether battling is

What Does

Hope

Mean to You?

Hope is rather false

William K | Patient | 10-26-2014

Good topic. Sorta like motherhood and apple pie. Gotta have hope, don’t we? Parents name their children “Hope”. Churches promise that we will have it if we will just believe. But what is it, really?

What Does

Optimistic

Mean to You?

The “Optimistic” Conversation

Editor | 06-25-2014

Our conversation on Optimistic continues on, but let’s review what we have so far. This topic has provoked perspectives and comments with several similarities.

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Our Mission

This is a place where anyone who counts themselves as a member of the Mass General Cancer Center community --- patient, family member, physician, nurse, researcher, social worker, care giver, administrator --- can come to read, think, and write about the words we all use, but which we don’t always understand in the same way. Often we use words and phrases that are common, that we use every day. Yet, their very familiarity creates the illusion of common understanding where, the fact is, we are frequently using these words in radically different ways, with radically different meanings. In our small way, WWTA is meant to help us work toward a common language and make the conversations we have about cancer more meaningful.

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