A Battle Lost?

This white man sadly learnt today of the passing of champion Australian athlete Kerryn McCann. Kerryn McCann won two consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medals in the women's marathon event. Following this she was diagnosed with breast cancer and died last night surrounded by her husband and three children. Of course deep sadness and sympathy lie with those left behind, especially her children. She was 41 years of age.

Yet in the midst of this sad event this white man has an issue. What really irks me is a cliched explanation heard incessantly concerning people who die from illnesses, but particularly cancer. It is a personal pet hate of mine and by the time of writing this blog entry I've had a gutful of hearing it today. It's the expression "she lost her battle with cancer..." Since when is the process of dying a contest? Sickness is sickness; surviving is surviving; dying is dying. Many times death comes as a blessing, a win if you will. Likewise surviving illnesses that ravage one's body and reduce one's quality of life can be equally a curse. But for goodness sakes, Kerryn McCann was a world-class athlete with a level of personal fitness beyond 99% of us. If cancer would claim a physical specimen such as her then how can there be any notion of a contest?!

Maybe this white man is just hung up on a minor matter of semantics. Or perhaps this world needs a real perspective check so that it may see terminal illness and dying for what it really is - a natural reality that is not about winning or losing, but rather how well-remembered that soul will be and what legacy-print they leave behind. You lost nothing Kerryn McCann! You simply just crossed another finish line and hopefully those closest to you will one day be able to celebrate your life (and your death) as a victory and not a defeat.