Cancer and Dementia – Which is the Worst?
Cancer and dementia are two terrible diseases, but which is the worst? Stephen Baker considers this question, and discusses our mortality.
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Is it Better to get Cancer Rather than Dementia?
Someone said to me recently that it would be better to get cancer than dementia_ Now I wouldn’t like to make the choice but I know where they are coming from.
The prospect of beating cancer is higher than it ever was compared to the limited availability of treatment for people suffering from dementia. But having seen what friends have had to handle before they _beat_ cancer I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
As I look at loved ones who are suffering from dementia I am reminded of the brevity and uncertainty of life. The condition often arrives and develops rapidly. Both my father and father in law died with dementia. Until then I did not realise that dementia leads to death.
‘While a person with end-stage dementia may technically die from an infection or other medical complication, it is their severe dementia that predisposed them to that complication and made them too weak to fight it off[1]’
Life is short and wise people value and cherish the important and enduring things of life.
Experience in life quickly teaches you that ‘things’ are not the most important part of life. You can replace ‘things’ but you cannot replace people and you cannot replace ‘you’ or as the bible puts it – your soul[2]_
What About People?
The Bible teaches that you should nurture and value relationships. You should love your parents, love your spouse, love your children and love your friends. We should be good neighbours, be kind, thoughtful and caring. Jesus taught that ‘loving your neighbour as yourself[3]‘ sits just behind ‘loving God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind[4]‘. Incidentally, if we took this first commandment seriously everything else would fall into its proper place. You wouldn’t murder, steal, commit adultery, swear etc as all of this, and more is not acceptable to God.
What About your Soul?
Jesus taught that your soul is the most valuable thing that you possess. Listen to the words of Jesus; they are pretty blunt and to the point.
‘And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul[5]’?
Jesus is saying that all that life can offer cannot be compared to the eternal value of your soul. That why Jesus died_ Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus wrote that those who pray, confess their sins to Jesus and trust Him to save them receive the ‘salvation of their souls[6]‘. This will outlive everything else in life. It gives hope to the sick and dying and strength to live for something that is of lasting value.
References
[1] https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-it-like-to-die-of-dementia-1132331
[2] Mark 8:36
[3] Matthew 22:39
[4] Matthew 22:37
[5] Mark 8:36
[6] 1 Peter 1:9
Stephen Baker
You can listen to podcasts from Stephen’s program, “Life Questions,” by clicking here. We encourage you to visit Stephen’s website at: www.seekthetruth.org.uk, where you can access podcasts and videos explaining the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
Contact Info
Life is full of questions and often the answers are difficult. Stephen Baker seeks to answer various questions about life and faith using the Bible as his only source. Listen to Stephen’s show, “Life Questions,” on HopeStreamRadio as he tackles the challenge of life questions.
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Images Courtesy of:
Medications – stevepb
Older Woman – geralt
Mother and Daughter – josealbafotos
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