By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    headphones can create health problems
    The Harmful Health Effects of Using Headphones
    September 24, 2021
    Headache causes
    4 Causes Of Headache You Probably Didn’t Know About
    December 28, 2021
    follow these steps to recover from your injury
    What Steps Should You Take to Recover More Quickly from an Injury?
    April 12, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 15, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 15, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    The Downside of P4P
    February 9, 2013
    pharmaphorum
    Democracy Comes to Healthcare
    May 12, 2015
    Minnesota Legislature Passes Major Healthcare Exchange Bill by Close Vote
    March 9, 2013
    Latest News
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
    Do Abuse Reporting Systems in Assisted Living Protect Residents’ Health?
    April 15, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: An Open Letter to Tom Brokaw About Cancer
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Specialties > An Open Letter to Tom Brokaw About Cancer
Specialties

An Open Letter to Tom Brokaw About Cancer

Andrew Schorr
Last updated: February 25, 2014 9:11 am
Andrew Schorr
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE

Jane_Pauley_Tom_Brokaw_Today_1977Dear Tom (I am calling you that instead of “Mr. Brokaw” because, like millions of Americans, I feel like I know you personally),

Jane_Pauley_Tom_Brokaw_Today_1977Dear Tom (I am calling you that instead of “Mr. Brokaw” because, like millions of Americans, I feel like I know you personally),

I read that you have announced you have cancer, multiple myeloma, and that you and your doctors are optimistic. At 74, no one knows how much time they have left, but I am writing to tell you as a two-time cancer survivor myself, and a medical journalist who covers myeloma, that this is truly a “good time” to have this cancer. It was a lot tougher for your peer, Peter Jennings of ABC, who died of lung cancer in 2012. I know you interviewed him and I am sure it was tough for both of you. But we all need to understand that not all cancers are alike. While progress is being made on subtypes of lung cancer, progress and longer-term survival is much more broad in your condition. The odds are you will get to play with your grandchildren for a long time.

I, myself, was diagnosed with a leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), at age 45 in 1996. By connecting with other patients online, I was directed to world experts far from my home city, I entered a clinical trial, it worked, and I received breakthrough medicine ten years before FDA approval. The disease remains in deep remission today and I have enjoyed a full life. As a patient advocate, I was delighted to see that the news of your diagnosis was not described with the usual dark adjectives that usually accompany a story about a celebrity with cancer. The cancer story is changing. I am an example of that as are several million others – especially with blood cancers like yours where increasingly targeted therapies are being used to knock the disease back. Welcome to the world of “chronic cancer” where we can live with it and hopefully not die from it anytime soon.

More Read

Chiropractor
The Most Important Things To Know When Choosing A Chiropractor
Dental Anxiety: Why It’s Common And How To Deal With It
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction
What Are The Different Types of IVF?
HVAC Air Filters Are Crucial for Reducing Allergy Symptoms

The other good news is that new medicines are coming out at a more rapid rate. We discuss this in depth in the myeloma section of our website. The pharmaceutical companies fully understand that our population is aging and that cancer is more likely. So for years they’ve been investing in new drugs or buying up smaller biotech companies that have promising cancer science. Now those efforts are bearing fruit. So the treatment you get next year will probably be different than this year. You have joined us on a journey. But it’s not just a journey of patients. It’s a journey of the researchers and clinic doctors, as well. In my opinion, cancer history, at least for some cancers, is being re-written. This is not the same situation in myeloma that confronted Geraldine Ferraro or baseball’s Mel Stottlemyre. You get the benefit of medical progress and the prospect of even better treatments being there for you in the years to come.

None of this is to say cancer is easy. Anything but that. Whether you have the “good kind” or another more aggressive type, it’s a punch in the stomach. From all appearances you have picked yourself off the floor and not only gone on with your life, but, to your credit, gone public with your diagnosis. You are living proof that a cancer diagnosis does not equal death. I urge you to join us in speaking out. You have world renowned doctors at The Mayo Clinic, a leading center for myeloma research. But many patients have never heard of it or any other major center. Furthermore, they don’t know why their local oncologist may have gaps in their knowledge about this disease. Your message can be what we advocates and the leading experts know, in oncology today the pace of change in many conditions, and certainly this one, is rapid. A new patient must strive to get care or a consultation with a myeloma specialist. The treatments of six months ago may well be outdated. So I am hoping you, a newsman who has covered every imaginable story, can now cover cancer and speak out from a personal perspective.

Mr. Brokaw, this is your next assignment.

Yours in Cancer Survivorship,

Andrew Schorr, Barcelona

TAGGED:multiple myelomaTom Brokaw
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Health
May 15, 2025
The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
Health care
May 13, 2025
fitness
What Personal Trainers Can & Can’t Say When it Comes to Nutrition
Fitness Wellness
May 12, 2025

You Might also Like

Is There Too Much Screening for Heart Disease?

June 21, 2011
Image
GeriatricsWellness

Restricting Diet of People 75+ May Not Make Them Healthier

February 27, 2013

Lowering Risk of Alzheimer’s With Exercise, Diet and Mind Activities: An Exclusive Interview

June 28, 2012
Improved Digestion
HealthSpecialtiesWellness

5 Common Causes of Digestive Issues

October 6, 2021
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?