Thoughts at 4 AM.......

No one gets through this life without being impacted by the terrible condition called "cancer".  It touches us all, even if we ourselves never contract the disease.  It is everywhere.  And we seemingly know so little about it, even after having spent decades and trillions of dollars on research.  One thing is generally true:  we basically treat it the same way we did a half century ago---surgery, radiation (before that it was X-Rays) and chemo.


Just almost impossible to believe, isn't it, that we still cannot cure it?
And in most cases we still don't know what causes it or why some people get it and others do not.


Now, what I call the "cancer industry" has developed into a gigantic entity employing millions of medical personnel and encompassing billions of dollars annually in research and treatment.  And yet, with all of our vaunted technology and genetic models and so on, we cannot cure it or prevent it.


I was struck yesterday as I watched television by how pervasive cancer awareness has become.  Here were four commentators---all tough ex football players---discussing the upcoming game to be televised...and all wearing pink ribbons.   The pink ribbon is ubiquitous.  So ubiquitous, in fact, that it has lost its meaning.  I see them on businessmen and women, children and even automobiles.


I hate cancer and I even fear it, but I must say I am really tired of all the sporting of pink.


What would happen if a cure were found?  Would our economy collapse because of the many millions of medical personnel left jobless?  What would happen to all the medical facilities and equipment?   What about the drop in drug company profits?  Would that cause further layoffs?  Would insurance rates suddenly fall to 1/2 of their previous levels, causing more layoffs? 


Your thoughts?