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Dear Editors, Publishers, Media at Large,
As a survivor of acute myeloid leukemia, I am begging you: PLEASE STOP PUBLISHING ANYTHING TO DO WITH BELLE GIBSON. I don't need to hear from her mother. I don't need to hear from her neighbours. I don't need to hear from her primary school teacher. I definitely don't need to hear from Belle herself. I don't care what happened to her app, her book, or her empire. I don't even want/need to know if she has finally been charged or even trialled for her crimes.
Before cancer, I was a fit and healthy young woman. I was a vegetarian. I ate mostly organic food. I exercised. I meditated. I chose to be positive. I never smoked. I rarely drank. And I still got cancer.
After cancer, I have struggled with chemo, radiation, hair loss, nail loss, weight loss, energy loss, serious depression, anger, and a whole myriad of side effects that come from treatment and the god awful hell that is living with a terrible illness. I am not able to work. I am fortunate to have had access to wonderful health care, and the support of friends and family who have supported me, and my husband, through this terrible nightmare.
Every time you publish a story about Belle Gibson, and how she used a terrible disease to prey on people's trust and steal money, you are punishing people who actually have to live with cancer. You are destroying people's trust. You are making it harder for those of us who rely on the generosity and kindness of others to make it through.
Belle Gibson clearly needs help. She needs therapy with experienced professionals who can help her deal with her issues. She does not need to be in the public eye. Cancer survivors, their carers, and people who have lost loved ones to cancer do not need to read about her, see her, or be subjected to her continual lies. We have enough to deal with without being reminded that there are people out there using our illness for profit.
Please stop publishing stories about Belle Gibson. Instead, publish stories about practical ways to help people with cancer (HuffPost had a great one), encourage blood/platelet donation (US, Australia, UK), or tell people how they can donate hair (US, Australia, UK). If you want the personal angle, tell us stories of hope, survival, and the true and factual stories of people living with cancer. But no more Belle. We've had enough.
Sincerely,
An Actual Cancer Survivor
As a survivor of acute myeloid leukemia, I am begging you: PLEASE STOP PUBLISHING ANYTHING TO DO WITH BELLE GIBSON. I don't need to hear from her mother. I don't need to hear from her neighbours. I don't need to hear from her primary school teacher. I definitely don't need to hear from Belle herself. I don't care what happened to her app, her book, or her empire. I don't even want/need to know if she has finally been charged or even trialled for her crimes.
Before cancer, I was a fit and healthy young woman. I was a vegetarian. I ate mostly organic food. I exercised. I meditated. I chose to be positive. I never smoked. I rarely drank. And I still got cancer.
After cancer, I have struggled with chemo, radiation, hair loss, nail loss, weight loss, energy loss, serious depression, anger, and a whole myriad of side effects that come from treatment and the god awful hell that is living with a terrible illness. I am not able to work. I am fortunate to have had access to wonderful health care, and the support of friends and family who have supported me, and my husband, through this terrible nightmare.
Every time you publish a story about Belle Gibson, and how she used a terrible disease to prey on people's trust and steal money, you are punishing people who actually have to live with cancer. You are destroying people's trust. You are making it harder for those of us who rely on the generosity and kindness of others to make it through.
Belle Gibson clearly needs help. She needs therapy with experienced professionals who can help her deal with her issues. She does not need to be in the public eye. Cancer survivors, their carers, and people who have lost loved ones to cancer do not need to read about her, see her, or be subjected to her continual lies. We have enough to deal with without being reminded that there are people out there using our illness for profit.
Please stop publishing stories about Belle Gibson. Instead, publish stories about practical ways to help people with cancer (HuffPost had a great one), encourage blood/platelet donation (US, Australia, UK), or tell people how they can donate hair (US, Australia, UK). If you want the personal angle, tell us stories of hope, survival, and the true and factual stories of people living with cancer. But no more Belle. We've had enough.
Sincerely,
An Actual Cancer Survivor
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