Patrick Swayze, Who Refuses To Quit Smoking, Wants You To Fund More Cancer Research

• February 10, 2009

Here’s Patrick Swayze (yes, that Patrick Swayze) pleading with the American public in the Washington Post to pony up more cash for cancer research.

I’m Battling Cancer. How About Some Help, Congress?
For me, fighting cancer is personal. Ever since I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January 2008, I’ve been waging an intense, often hellacious battle. It’s me (with a lot of love and medical support) against my disease.
But I’m not alone. More than 1.4 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer this year. In the United States, one out of three women and one out of two men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes.
[...]
Our individual battles should also be national ones. With Congress about to decide how much money to include for medical research as part of the economic stimulus package, the time has come to take my personal fight to a larger stage. My message to our senators and representatives is simple: Vote for the maximum funding to let the National Institutes of Health fight cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. It’s not only good for our nation’s health; it’s also good for our economic well-being.

I’m not sure I’m entirely opposed to publicly-funded disease research. Especially not for something like cancer. But it is a bit annoying to get a lecture on this from the same Patrick Swayze who refuses to quit smoking despite being diagnosed with a particularly toxic form of cancer.

Puffing on a cigarette is not the most sensible thing to do when you’re battling cancer.
But if, as reports suggest, Patrick Swayze has only a few weeks to live, he may think it makes little difference.
The once-athletic star of Dirty Dancing, Ghost, and action films such as Point Break looked gaunt as he dragged on a cigarette while waiting for his private plane.
[...]
Swayze has been a 60-a-day smoker for years, and research shows that smokers are twice as likely to get pancreatic cancer as non-smokers.

Maybe a two-and-a-half pack a day smoker isn’t the best poster child for the government “War On Cancer” movement in that it makes people like me feel that maybe we don’t want to subsidize the consequences of other people’s bad personal health decisions. I recognize that cancer sometimes strikes without any real cause, and again I’m not entirely opposed to cancer research in general, but don’t put someone like Patrick Swayze in my face to lecture me about it.

Tags: Asshats, Domestic Issues, Entertainment, Politics

http://Array lucykateUK

Benzene is/was also used to decaffeinate coffee…that’s why I won’t drink decaf.
2Hotel9

“And it of course is comparing apples to oranges.”

So, why did you do it, sanni?
terri

It really upsets me to think that patrick swayze’s smoking is so important now .Who cares at this point if the man is smoking. If this is what keeps him sane in his last days than let it be. He has done so much for all of us, even to contact congress for cancer funding. He is thinking of others more so than himself , he knows his time is done. Sure I know you should not smoke and try to get funding if you cannot be an example but in his case, we should be more forgiving. He deserves to be left alone. Right now he needs from his fans the prayers and good thoughts. Stay strong Patrick, may the angels be with you till you reach the gates of heaven, where God will embrace you into his paradise.
2Hotel9

Benzene is in a lot of stuff, and used for all kinds of purposes.
http://www.guitarhype.com/ mjakes123

This is a really twisted story. I feel bad for that guy as he already has cancer. I guess people just give up when they are certain about something bad in the future.
Hannitized

And I don’t like it when hunters promote the arial shooting of wolves when the science gets in their way by suggesting that shooting 10,000 to 11,000 wolves a year increases the likelihood that moose will be more available to be shot.

But we have beautiful people like Ashley Judd to help keep an eye on Palin.

Keeping an eye on Palin
Hannitized

Boy. What did these poor animals ever do before there were environmentalists around to save them?

The natural order of things occurred without human intervention, like it is now, thanks to Sarah Palin.

It’s the Moose that are being affected by the natural process, Palin is intervening. Ashley Judd is just trying to stop them from intervening.

How did that gun powder taste?
dfwpike

The guy is dying. Let it go. A good friend of mine passed away in January from pancreatic cancer. She was only 38. She wasn’t a smoker, but even if she was it wouldn’t diminish her legacy of being a beautiful person who made a difference in a lot of people’s lives.
k_lunch

Did you quit cold turkey?

No, I’m only half-viking. I had to wuss out and use a patch. Yes, I still want one every 20 minutes and it’s been worse this week than the first nine. Also, did you notice that you feel empty inside? Like something’s missing.
k_lunch

Swayze has been a 60-a-day smoker for years, and research shows that smokers are twice as likely to get pancreatic cancer as non-smokers….

Maybe a two-and-a-half pack a day smoker isn’t the best poster child for the government “War On Cancer”

60 = 3 packs

As someone who quit smoking ten weeks ago – all this cigarette talk is making me cranky.

Also – he should quit if he’s going to advocate for funding. It’s common sense. That’s like someone who’s 400 lbs crying for diabetes funding while they have a Big Mac in their hand.
studakota

Good to hear of your ten wks. non-smoking K_lunch. Keep up the good work and NEVER touch another cig., or cigarillo again. Did you quit cold turkey? And isn’t it true that, while quitting, you don’t YEARN for a smoke all the time but, instead, desire a cig. every 20-30 mins. for 5-10 seconds. That’s how it was with me. It’s been 15 yrs now and I doubt I’d be alive had I continued, as I’d smoked for 35 yrs. Keep it up and let us know how you’re doing.
carrick

Could be related to the benzene that they put in many brands of cigarettes these days for “taste”.

They didn’t used to do that, but since they have, there has been a marked increase in pancreatic cancer rates in this country.
carrick

Here:

[A] new study of 490 patients in Los Angeles County revealed that smoking a pack or more a day was associated with a fivefold to sixfold increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
SHADY

Say hannless,
You eat steak or hambugers??
You should go down to a slaughter house and see how they kill cows. Shoot them in the head with a .22 cal and slit their throts when their down.

Go picket the slaughter house’s.
2Hotel9

Excuse me, where is the correlation between smoking and pancreatic cancer?
http://www.TheVaporCig.com/ Paul

Quitting smoking is difficult. It involves not only giving up the addiction to nicotine, but also giving up the oral fixation and other triggers involved in the addiction to the “act” of smoking itself.

3 months ago I found out about a new product I had never heard of before. It’s a Green Smoke electronic cigarette. It looks/feels like a real cigarette. The filter part is actually an atomizer that vaporizes liquid nicotine in the filter cartridge. This vapor inhales and exhales like smoke and looks just like smoke! It really does simulate the sensation of smoking. This vapor contains no tar, no cancer causing substances so it is much safer than actual cigarettes. You can actually smoke this anywhere, even in stores. The water vapor disappears almost immediately and has no odor whatsoever.

The company offers nicotine cartridges from 8mg down to 0mg. You can ween slowly off of nicotine while your smoking habit is still being fulfilled. Once you are off the addiction to nicotine, it’s easier to give up the “act” of smoking. I’ve used it successfully. I am so thankful for this product and I just want others to know about it.

I hope this helps someone…

If you think this may be for you, get more information and watch video demonstrations at:

http://www.TheVaporCig.com/
2Hotel9

So, as the study lists it, benzene is linked to pancreatic cancer, not cigarettes. That would mean every person that worked in the petroleum refining industry would have pancreatic cancer, since benzene is massively present in all refineries.

Sounds like more wasted government research money.
2Hotel9

Oop, there it is!
Hannitized

Say hannless,
You eat steak or hambugers??
You should go down to a slaughter house and see how they kill cows. Shoot them in the head with a .22 cal and slit their throts when their down.

Go picket the slaughter house’s.

We had a future farmers of American at my high school. I saw that once a week.

And it of course is comparing apples to oranges.
http://de-adiction.blogspot.com/2009/02/addictions-and-de-addiction-informa Deepak

I was an alcoholic and smoker for 12 years and after 12 years now i am sober.Now i am not having any addictions.Thank you.
sayanything-5371

I got news for all of you. No one is going to get out of this life alive. It is better to live than to exist, as far as I am concerned. I enjoy cigars, whisky, beer, wine, fatty foods, guns, women, hunting, powerful machines and I expect something to kill me someday. Until then I am not going to exist in fear. God gave me this life to LIVE. My first wife was a vegetarian exercise freak who never smoked or drank in her life. She died from breast cancer at 39. Don’t waste a day worrying about death, make peace with God, prepare for death, but LIVE.
sayanything-4625

And I don’t like it when hunters promote the arial shooting of wolves when the science gets in their way by suggesting that shooting 10,000 to 11,000 wolves a year increases the likelihood that moose will be more available to be shot.

But we have beautiful people like Ashley Judd to help keep an eye on Palin.

Where did you get 11,000 wolves when your own link say’s 800?
sayanything-4625

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game estimates there are 7,000 to 11,000 wolves in Alaska

There are only 11,000 wolves tops in Alaska.
sayanything-2483

And I don’t like it when hunters promote the arial shooting of

Beautiful thread hijacking.
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

60 = 3 packs

Oh. I’ve never smoked. Guess I should have bought a pack for research.

Also – he should quit if he’s going to advocate for funding. It’s common sense. That’s like someone who’s 400 lbs crying for diabetes funding while they have a Big Mac in their hand.

That reminds me of a funny story my dad told me. He, like a lot of members of my family (myself included) has struggled with weight issues. A while back he got gastric bypass surgery, but before he could get it he had to go and see some sort of a dietary counselor. He went in to see this woman…and she was bigger than he was by about 50 – 75 lbs. and ate Oreos while she was interviewing him.

He was like “I’m supposed to take dieting advice from this lady?” Maybe she knows what she’s talking about, but even so…
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

And I don’t like it when hunters promote the arial shooting of wolves when the science gets in their way by suggesting that shooting 10,000 to 11,000 wolves a year increases the likelihood that moose will be more available to be shot.

Boy. What did these poor animals ever do before there were environmentalists around to save them?

If only Tyranosaurus Rex had Ashley Judd.

SayAnythingBlog.com

Patrick Swayze, Who Refuses To Quit Smoking, Wants You To Fund More Cancer Research

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