Vietnam Vets children with lung and bone cancer

pdJudi
pdJudi Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
Is anyone else having problems with cancer at a very young age, 39, who's father was a vietnam vet? My nephew has never smoked or done drugs, hardly drinks. His father died 25 years ago of PTS complications. We just can't figure out how he has gotten this terrible desease.

Comments

  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #2
    mil vets
    There may be something to your query. I would advise, if you have not done so, posting same in the Military Veterans board on this same site.

    In the meantime, my inclination is to suggest that looking for reasons is often a fruitless endeavor. Cancer has no prejudice, does not seek us out by age or by race or by creed or by gender or even by the behavior you seem to presume would be party to its origination.

    Some of us are smokers and drinkers. Some of us are not. Some of us are old, some of us are tragically young. Some of us pray to a god, and some of us do not know the address.

    Some of us live, and some of us do not.

    Strides are being made, or so it appears, but today it is what it is. And there certainly is not yet a profile that precludes one of us from contracting the disease while others are immune.

    Best wishes to your loved one and his family.

    Take care,

    Joe
  • PBJ Austin
    PBJ Austin Member Posts: 347 Member
    #3
    Hello pdJudi
    I am very sorry for your news, I know how hard it is to have a young loved one with cancer.

    Unfortunately cancer can strike anyone at any time of life. I know it must seem unusual for a non-smoker/non-drinker to be told he has cancer, but it does happen all too often. There was a time when I thought non-smokers never get lung cancer but I know now that is wrong.

    My beautiful young sister was diagnosed at age 25 with brain cancer. Her tumors are very slow-growing and the doctor says it's possible it all started when she was around 8 years old. When this news first came I racked my brains trying to figure out how it happened. I had thoughts like, "she didn't live under a power line, she's never been to anyplace radioactive, etc." and of course she didn't smoke, drink or use drugs at age 8. I finally learned to accept the situation as it is and move forward. I know that's a hard thing to do when you are trying to make sense of it all, but it might be the best thing for everyone.

    Keep hope alive, as doctors can do so much these days. Also be mindful that new breakthroughs happen all the time. I wish your nephew and the rest of your family the very best in this fight. We're always here if you need us.

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