Over recent weeks we have sadly seen the death of several high profile celebrities from cancer. Lemmy from Motorhead, David Bowie and Alan Rickman passed away with a couple of weeks of each other and along with best-selling author Jackie Collins who died a few months ago, they all choose to keep their cancer diagnosis private.
These days we seem to live in an increasingly celebrity driven culture and many people think they know their celebrities inside out. Many celebrities use social media to increase their exposure and seem to do the rounds of TV and radio shows, especially when they have a new album, tour or book to promote.
However, sometimes we forget that these celebrities are real people, just like you and I. They have families and private lives and just because they are in the public eye that doesn’t mean that they are not entitled to a private life.
Lemmy, David Bowie, Alan Rickman and Jackie Collins all chose to keep their diagnosis private and not go public with the news. There has been a lot of social media talk about this fact with some saying that they “owed” it to their fans to go public. But did they?
If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer at any time then you will know that it’s a huge thing to have to deal with, and a cancer diagnosis affects not just the patient but their whole family. Imagine how you would feel if everyone know about your diagnosis. All your work colleagues; everyone you met at the school gate; at the gym; in the supermarket; everyone on your Facebook friends list and all their other friends as well. A bit overwhelming, don’t you think?
No one can say whether these celebrities did right or wrong – they did what they thought was best for them and their family and their wishes should be respected. We may feel like we know them but they are still real people and deserve to have a private life behind the public one. Some may choose to go public and share their cancer journey and again that is their choice.
Cancer does not discriminate. It doesn’t care if you are old or young; rich or poor; famous or not. No amount of celebrity status or money is going to keep cancer away if it decides to make a visit.
We are all human after all.
xx Kaz xx
These days we seem to live in an increasingly celebrity driven culture and many people think they know their celebrities inside out. Many celebrities use social media to increase their exposure and seem to do the rounds of TV and radio shows, especially when they have a new album, tour or book to promote.
However, sometimes we forget that these celebrities are real people, just like you and I. They have families and private lives and just because they are in the public eye that doesn’t mean that they are not entitled to a private life.
Lemmy, David Bowie, Alan Rickman and Jackie Collins all chose to keep their diagnosis private and not go public with the news. There has been a lot of social media talk about this fact with some saying that they “owed” it to their fans to go public. But did they?
If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer at any time then you will know that it’s a huge thing to have to deal with, and a cancer diagnosis affects not just the patient but their whole family. Imagine how you would feel if everyone know about your diagnosis. All your work colleagues; everyone you met at the school gate; at the gym; in the supermarket; everyone on your Facebook friends list and all their other friends as well. A bit overwhelming, don’t you think?
No one can say whether these celebrities did right or wrong – they did what they thought was best for them and their family and their wishes should be respected. We may feel like we know them but they are still real people and deserve to have a private life behind the public one. Some may choose to go public and share their cancer journey and again that is their choice.
Cancer does not discriminate. It doesn’t care if you are old or young; rich or poor; famous or not. No amount of celebrity status or money is going to keep cancer away if it decides to make a visit.
We are all human after all.
xx Kaz xx
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