The story of MUW math professor Dr. Agnes Carino illustrates an important point where medical treatment is concerned.
Carino’s determination to be personally involved in decisions on how to treat her Stage 4 cancer, detailed in today’s edition, underscores the importance of personal empowerment and the holistic benefits of a positive attitude.
Her decision to pursue alternative treatments for her cancer should be a lesson to all who face serious illness.
Our medical knowledge, substantial though it may be, is not complete. History shows that every major advance in medicine is initially met with natural — and often warranted — skepticism.
Her decision to forgo traditional chemotherapy for Vitamin C infusions has produced results that are hard to deny, even as the medical establishment continues to have its doubts about the benefits of the treatment.
There are few things that strike terror into the heart of a person more than a diagnosis of cancer.
For generations, it was a death sentence. But as medical advancements continue, we are encouraged to note that cancer patients — we refuse to think of them “victims” — are living longer, better lives. There is more hope today than ever before.
We commend the medical community for these advancements in cancer diagnosis and treatment. That there are alternatives to traditional cancer care should not be considered an indictment of established treatment.
Even so, we believe Carino’s story is a powerful argument that some advancements can emerge from non-traditional origins.
We are mindful that there have always been some treatments that have been offered to those desperate for help that do not meet any reliable standards and may ultimate do more harm than good. That should be a caution to those who are looking for alternatives and options.
Due diligence is important. In Carino’s case, she was not content to simply discover a new option. She consulted a friend who was a biochemist and geneticist for her thoughts on the treatment, seeking to understand the scientific basis for the treatment.
Convinced the treatment had real merits and was not dangerous, Carino’s next move was a wise choice, again an example for others.
She did not choose the new treatment as a replacement for traditional medicine. Instead, he integrated the treatment with the traditional care her oncologists recommended.
We understand diseases such as cancer can lead to a desperate search for as many options as possible.
But we urge those who find themselves in such a position to study and scrutinize those options, confer with experts and, finally, work with their doctors in incorporating any non-traditional approaches.
That is precisely what we find in Carino’s approach. We applaud her efforts, wish her continued success and hope others will draw inspiration from her story.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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