My Own Battle Against Cancer

Topics: Field Notes

(CBS/AP)

Maria Mercader is a producer at the CBS News Foreign Desk in New York.

When I came into the office yesterday morning, there was word that John Edwards would bow out of the 2008 Presidential campaign because his wife's breast cancer had come back. That made me very sad. Fighting cancer is like being in a war and it looked as if the Edwards family was losing. I WAS WRONG. John Edwards was staying in the campaign and his wife will be at his side.

I know that fighting cancer is war because I have been in battle not once, but twice. I have a team of 14 physicians and I have sat in doctors offices for hours and hours. I have had countless tests, invasive examinations, chemotherapy, radiation and several surgeries; I was even hospitalized for four months. Battling cancer can be a full time job. No one wants to hear those words, "you have cancer," but it is in that moment that you start the fight. When you want to live, there is no decision to be made. Fighting isn't a choice. You just do it; it becomes as natural as breathing.

When Nixon declared war declared war on cancer in 1971, cancer was an automatic death sentence. Don't get me wrong--there are many valiant efforts to win the war and sometimes the cancer wins. But Elizabeth Edwards is an example of a person living with, rather than dying from, cancer which is something I have lived with for 10 years. In those 10 years people have remarked, "How do you keep going?" Like Mrs. Edwards, I had to. Through treatment and recovery, I have been a hard-working TV producer, I have a social life, traveled domestically and abroad and have been an advocate for cancer issues. It hasn't always been easy to keep all the balls in the air, but what else could I do...sit around and be sick? If I did that, then cancer would be winning. So I live, and live the best life possible. Thank you, Mrs. Edwards, for showing people that we, survivors, can thrive.

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by sharonash-2009 March 26, 2007 1:21 PM EDT: I am a faithful viewer of 60 minutes. I also thought Katie's interview was arrogant and insensitive. It appeared as if she was "grilling" the Edward's for their decision, especially the comment "shouldn't you be at home with your children.". I also do not know what Katie is trying to prove- what she is proving is that she should go back to "celebrity-fluff" interviews!!; Reply to this comment


by kennliz March 26, 2007 12:29 PM EDT: CBS Evening News continues to disappoint....why not expand it to 60 minutes and rename it the CBS Geriatric Hour....

Seems like we get 5 to 10 minutes of hard news then 20 minutes of health related stories...not to mention that every advertiser is pushing some drug to ward off the grim reaper....but that I can understand ($$$$$$$)....
Is Walter still available?????????; Reply to this comment


by gulf7777 March 26, 2007 11:48 AM EDT: Poor John Edwards had to listen to Katie attempt to improve ratings by drilling his cancer victim wife. Why did they go on the show knowing that CBS News is drowning and Katie is going to try to act like a "news" professional which she is struggling to be. Next time try Jerry Springer for your release John.; Reply to this comment


by pianogal-2009 March 25, 2007 11:22 PM EDT: I eagerly tuned in to see John & Elizabeth Edwards this evening & to my despair, instead of an interview, saw a cold interrogation by the ever insensitive, hair flipping KCouric! Why was this shallow person chosed to speak with this fine, brave couple? Normally I would just toss this off as another Couric caper (she has never inspired me to watch the news; her personal aura is a turn-off), but tonight she truly messed up!
No class (is she a Republican?)as she lunged at the charming Edwards couple with COLD doom-and-gloom questioning scenarios. PLEASE---GET A REPLACEMENT FOR KC--THIS WAS AN ABOMINATION!; Reply to this comment


by mjones62254 March 24, 2007 1:51 PM EDT: Maria, I certainly wish you the best in any way you choose to live your life as you fight cancer. My point is that it is wrong to suggest like you did that because someone chooses to stay home they are not "fighting."
If the Edwards family had decided to drop out of the race, that does not mean they have decided not to "fight." It is a very personal decision and I support any choice their family makes - not just the one I would make.; Reply to this comment


by sunflowreyez March 24, 2007 12:58 AM EDT: mjones-
In no way did the writer suggest everyone else has to do what she has done. In fact, she titled the post "My Own Battle Against Cancer". Not everyone decides to fight. If a person chooses to be "dying of cancer", they can sit around and be sick and enjoy the time they have left however they please. The writer made a clear distinction that she's decided to "live" with cancer and was thanking Elizabeth Edwards for her inspiration.

Thank you Maria, for sharing your story and may you continue to fight, and win, your battle.; Reply to this comment


by mjones62254 March 23, 2007 7:32 PM EDT: I think the way a person chooses to fight cancer is very personal. If a woman chooses to "sit around and be sick" surrounded by her loved ones instead of returning to work that's great. I really don't like it when one person has made a choice like this writer and then decided that's what everyone else should do, too. I wish the Edwards family all the best in this difficult time. They are a class act.; Reply to this comment