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I've seen both sides of this. I've seen people who were terminal and suffering, who only wanted to pass on with dignity. They had had enough of the treatments, tubes in their body, and generally no quality..they were tired of fighting, but their doctors kept insisting on more and more treatments.
I too, feel it is a very personal decision, and I also feel that it is cruel to give someone false hope, and this HAS happened, so someone can make money. IMHO, cancer is big business...everything is about money today, and there's no reason for treatments/meds to be so outrageously high, that those who have no insurance, couldn't possibly afford the treatments. I don't want to hear about how there is "help" out there...been there, done that, it's not true. I have heard several people who have cancer refuse further treatment, because they have become financially ruined, and want something left for their children, etc., and have no desire to become a "guinea pig" for the greedy.
HONESTY about someone's real condition is what is needed, and personally, I don't think that HONESTY is always a priority. Yes it is true, nobody can predict how much longer someone will live..that's impossible, but a little bit of honesty would go a long way for cancer patients, so they are not robbed of whatever quality days they could have had, while continuing treatments that will be futile.
HONESTY is what will give a cancer patient the tools to make a decision either way.
Just my two cents.
Sue
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