Just Don't Do It

Nike has a new commercial. It is a clip from the press conference where Lance Armstrong announced that he had testicular cancer which had also spread into his abdomen (and his lungs and his brain). After Armstrong firmly states that he intends to beat the disease, the "Just do it" logo pops up. Implying what? That surviving cancer is simply a matter of being determined to do so? That the million or so people who die annually of cancer in the U.S. just don't try hard enough? Bullshit. Sure, Lance Armstrong's cancer was advanced and his recovery was unlikely. But, in reality, because he is a wealthy athlete, everything that modern medicine had to offer was available to him. Everyone is not so lucky. I mean, I understand what the commercial was trying to do. A positive mindset never hurt anyone, but a life threatening disease cannot be conquered with the mind alone. Cancer is a fast spreading, amazingly resilient, deadly disease and some of us have had to watch people we love die slowly and painfully of it. And why? Because they didn't have the means to pay for treatments, surgeries, medicine, and trips around the world to meet with the top specialists. Bluntly, they couldn't afford life, Lance Armstrong could. Thanks for rubbing it in our (those who have watched, lost, and been left behind to grieve) faces. Ya Bahstahds.