Keeping Cancer Undercover
I just finished reading a series of articles about Mo Mowlam. I realize that many people outside the UK might not recognize the name, so I'll take a moment to provide an overview: Marjorie "Mo" Mowlam was a member of the British Parliament from 1987 to 2001. In 1997, she was the first woman appointed to the position of Secretary of State of Northern Ireland and was tasked with overseeing and facilitating the Peace Talks in Ireland. She was a very popular political figure and was involved with the Good Friday Peace Agreement talks in early 1999. By 2000, she left the Secretary of State position and returned to the Cabinet. She retired from politics in 2001 and passed away in 2005.
But this is a health blog, why the history lesson?
I'm interested in Mowlam's story because five months before she was appointed to the Secretary of State position in 1997, she announced she had a benign brain tumor. Benign as in "not cancerous, highly treatable, nothing to see here" kind of tumor. On January 17th, 2010, the news broke in the UK outlining the extent of Mowlam's illness. The article, "How Mo Mowlam mislead Tony Blair," outlines how Mowlam hid her terminal (malignant) cancer diagnosis from Tony Blair and the UK, going against the advice of her doctor. Only her husband and doctor knew how sick she really was as she accepted her position as Secretary of State. This news has caused a stir in the UK.
Secretly Courageous or Calculated Liar?
The range of judgments levied at Mowlam have been all over the map. To some, she's a liar. To others, she's courageous. Still others think she was reckless and foolish, and could have seriously jeopardized the 1999 peace talks. The debate has started in the UK: Did Mo have the right to confidentiality? She clearly knew what she was doing. She insisted her doctor keep private the severity of her cancer. Her husband and medical team were the only ones that knew the extent and terminal nature of her illness. Her doctor has finally expressed his frustration dealing with the professional dilemma he found himself in with Mowlam. As her doctor, he was ethically bound to honor his patient's request. In his case, his decision to remain quiet could have affected national security. Forutnately, Mowlam's health never affected her job as the Secretary. I'm sure this very unique case will be subject to much debate in the coming weeks. If I was faced with this situation, I'm not sure what I'd do. In my own case, it took some time for me to accept my cancer diagnosis and build a confident life as a cancer survivor. Now, my cancer story is well known. Mowlam's situation is very unusual but does expose some concerns that all cancer survivors will face at some point: what information do you share and how do you share it so it won't negatively impact relationships, a career, or your life in general?
To share or not to share....
To address the question of whether or not a cancer survivor should disclose a new illness or diagnosis, the American Cancer Society developed a great outline on Talking About Cancer. Cancer And Careers provides a great deal of information on discussing a cancer diagnosis with employers. I firmly believe that honesty is the best policy. I've always been open about my cancer diagnoses and treatments. However, I know there are situations where this might not be the best advice. When and why would you tell someone to hid an illness? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this subject.
Have you ever hid a significant health issue from others? Do you know someone who hasn't publicly disclosed an illness for fear of job loss or career impacts? How do you think this story impacts the cancer community? What about other health communities? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
P.S. A few people have emailed to ask if I was a fan of Mowlam's. YES! Absolutely. I think she was in a very difficult position. She made a decision to move forward the best way she could think of when she was diagnosed. We might not all agree that this was the best course of action, but we should never judge or diminish another's decisions. I think Mo was a very strong woman and made a great impact on UK politics.
Tags: cancer, care, confidentiality, health, mowlam, privacy
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Casey Quinlan - the Mighty Mouth on
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I have a both-sides-now view on this specific situation: Mo Mowlam accomplished something that hadn't been achieved for almost 300 years, peace in Ireland. Given her single-mindedness and dedication to bringing lasting peace to a conflict that had chewed up and spit out countless numbers of my ancestral brothers and sisters, I salute her for both her determination and her ability to stay on task, even when facing a terminal disease. How many lives did she save while lying about her own? To me, it's a trade-off that I salute her for making. In the same situation, I'd like to think I'd have the stones to do the same.
My father earned a Master's degree in Political Economy at University College Dublin in the early '70s, during the height of the IRA vs. UK guerrilla war. I am a cancer survivor, and a descendant of Eire. Peace in my ancestral home was something my father wanted, and worked for in one way or another, for much of his life. I feel like I had some skin in Mo Mowlam's game, and she brought home a win. She's a goddess in my world.
She had an utter right to confidentiality. Given her purpose, and her actions, she's an example to us all of grace under (terminal) pressure.
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Permalink Reply by Alicia C. Staley on -
Hey Casey - thanks for your comments. WOW - I guess this really hit home for you. I've read alot about Mo over the years, and I really admire her spirit and determination. What she accomplished was indeed amazing! Thanks for your personal perspective. I'm going to keep reading about her - she's an incredible role model on so many levels, not just as a cancer survivor, but a facilitator and moderator. I appreciate your comments.
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Permalink Reply by uvmer on -
When my business partner was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, brain cancer, she and I left our business with our employees to seek treatment out of the area. We sell fitness equipment for commercial and residential use. We were afraid to let anyone know about her illness for fear potential/regular cutomers would be uncomfortable making a purchase in fear of the business closing if my partner didn't survive. We provide service for all the equipment we sell and have been in business for 20 years. If someone pays $3000 for a treadmill, they want to be sure there is someone around to take care of them. So we kept it totally quiet. When we returned to the area following initial surgery, we felt like we had to "sneek" around town. It added more stress to an already stressful situation. Since that time, I lost my business partner. Now when I go to work, old customers come in asking for her. We did a really good job of keeping it quiet. But for me, now it is incredibly painful as I explain to them what happened to my partner. And now I wish I could be anonymous.
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Permalink Reply by Alicia C. Staley on
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Hey there. Thanks for your thoughts on this issue. I'm sorry you had a difficult time with you business partner's illness. I understand how an illness could impact your business. I hope that some day, we will all get to the point where illness doesn't need to be hidden. Hang in there.
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Permalink Reply by Karinslifeforce on
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Thank you for posting information on this subject. It's something i struggle with constantly. I have a Stage II Astrocytoma and believe I was released from 2 positions because both employers knew or found out about my cancer.
I'm currently in a new job, and don't intend to reveal my illness to anyone because there is discrimination.
I have also had experience with promising new relationships that came to an end not long after I disclosed my diagnosis. It's heartbreaking, because I want to be honest and open about it, but I fear the consequences. I understand, who would want to be attached to someone with a brain cancer? To begin a relationship with someone who could die early in life is not easy. However I'm a four year survivor and live an active and healthy lifestyle, yet this news still scares people away,
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Permalink Reply by Alicia C. Staley on
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I'm sorry to hear that you have possibly faced discrimination due to an illness. I hope that by sharing my story and thoughts on life as a cancer survivor, it will make it a better place for us all.
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Permalink Reply by Laurie on -
Unless someone’s condition is contagious or has the potential of endangering others, I see no reason to disclose any health information. Yes, honesty is the best policy, but I don't believe that means we have to disclose all our personal information. There are reasons we have laws protecting our health history. Our doctors are obligated to give us certain advice and treatment options that are in the best interest of our physical health. That doesn't mean we have an obligation to follow it.
Before I had cancer, I did not know how to talk to someone who did. Many people still regard cancer as a certain death sentence, and treatment as a completely debilitating state. Not only are there lots of us still here, but some folks may continue to work during treatment, whether outside the home, caring for a family, or both. I always openly discussed my situation because I was in a position where it would be educational. If I were not in the health field, I may have handled it differently.
If this woman spent her last days of life contributing to the peace of the planet she should be commended, not criticized. And if her input was significant enough to affect policy, then either her mental capacity was not negatively impacted, or she made enough sense to everyone around her. Maybe that is what worries them?
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Permalink Reply by ChemoBabe on -
A cancer diagnosis is full of uncertainty. Although doctors' prognoses have the air of scientific fact, the truth is that each patient is unique and responds differently to treatment. That certainly seemed to be the case with Mo, who, as you point out, lived until 2005.
While I have been very public with my cancer, I realize that it is partly my social position that permits me to take this stance. I have a tenured professorship at a prestigious university. I can't lose my job, short of doing something illegal. I am married so I don't have to worry about my appeal to prospective partners. I have children, so I don't have to vet questions about family planning and fertility from well-meaning friends.
I agree with earlier posters that people are entitled to privacy about their health, particularly when, in doing so, they are not compromising the health and safety of others. I know a number of people who have made the choice to be private about their cancer. Like Mo, they were concerned about suspicions from others about their ability to do their jobs. One was concerned about her desirability to future partners. Another just temperamentally had low tolerance for others' pity. (Although, as I said, I am public about my cancer, I certainly can relate to that last concern.)
The fact that my social position "allows" me to be public without fear of repercussions speaks volumes about how far we have to go toward a better general understanding of what cancer is as a disease, what treatment involves, and what cancer patients are often able to do during treatment. Being public about cancer should not be a privilege and should not include the trade-off of others' doubts and pity. We have a long way to go in terms of public education before that becomes the case. I thank people like you, Alicia, for helping bring a better understanding of this disease.
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