*You have one life and if you forgo the "encounter" it is a life less lived*

Boxgum, with all due respect, that is simply your limited perspective
of the world. You could perhaps never unstand my perspective of
what living life to the full, living a happy and joyful life or
what I make the purpose of my life.

The natural world is in fact full of wonder, beauty and fascination
to me and personally I don't need the wonder about the supernatural
to experience your "encounter".

The rest of my post was really about the hypocracy of some of
the religious, whom I have a bone to pick with. Personally I'd like
to see a world with a little less suffering and pointing that out
is not unreasonable

Sorry Peter but for those of us raised free of indoctrination your Christ looks like just another deity idol.
Christians are atheists with *one* exception...the one they were force fed before they could grow up.
There were thousands of years of just religion...it took science just 200 years to raise us from the animal state and give us a chance to evolve further. Religion has nothing to say about death because it can only work with the "faith" axioms it starts with...nothing new that is true can come from arbitrary story telling!
Seriously, I could replace Christ with my cat and it would add or reduce nothing from the "argument" presented.

>>Seriously, I could replace Christ with my cat and it would add or reduce nothing from the "argument" presented.<<

Yes, that certainly explains your "argument" (and understanding of other people's points of view).

This article made me think of my mother who died of cancer a couple of years ago. After an operation to remove a tumour and some radiotherapy my mum opted not to undergo chemotherapy.

At first I was surprised thinking from my own POV that one would do anything to prolong life. But in talking more intimately my mother's desire was to make the best of what time she had left, especially as the effects of chemo are harsh and there was only a poor prognosis.

Coming to peace with death and spending time with loved ones is what counts for many people. This is not to diminish those who choose to go into 'battle' as described. It is such a personal choice.

The greatest sadness, and it still fills me with tears to think about it, was how quick it was at the end, but also how awful watching someone close to you go through the process of cancer. And it is a process. When cancer has spread to the brain and they are no longer able to express themselves, and are kept under a permanent morphine induced state.

I don't think it is for any of us to cast judgement on these personal choices, only that each of us choose what is right for us. In my experience doctors do not force any conventional path, only provide options and let the patient decide with as much information as possible. Much of the rhetoric around cancer is just that, a media obsessed with sensationalism and feel good stories that usually provide little depth or analysis.

The closer death comes the less it's fearful.

Once you've faced death, fear of death and fearing the risk of death recedes. Living life is the result.

This is a personal conclusion.

I faced death in the form of a stage 3 bowel cancer. I battled for life. I wanted to fulfil those things I'd always thought I should have done.

During the 2 years of chemo, radiation, operation, weight loss, from 105kgs to 60 kgs, the very very slow recovery and the many times I and others expected my death, I studied sailing.

Since 14 I had dreamed of sailing on an ocean.

We bought a yacht in Port Stephens. I sailed it to Brisbane ... solo. I'd never set foot on a small boat before. I've faced death again and again, revelled in that, survived and had epiphanies.

There's a God. It's spirit is within us.

The universe can squash us in an instant. There is no such thing as security and all we do is create relationships, homes and buy things that give us an illusion of security. That's reflected in our society with the current over emphasis on risk aversion.

We meet our God when we stretch our boundaries and challenge death.

One day I'll go to my God and I am sure it will be as I am stretching my boundaries.

If I don't, and I die in the safety of others illusions then I'll die in the hell of knowing I'm not testing myself and meeting my God and it's majesty ... which I believe I've honoured with my endeavours.

It would be a living hell if I was to die without learning this fact. My life would be empty and my death something to be feared and avoided

I'm not religious and have no belief in the self-destroying atheism or risk-aversion.

My next challenge is to circumnavigate ... solo. I'm nearly 60. I'll be cleared of cancer in May ... the 5 year point.

I'm not battling, I'm revelling in life and death.

Dear imajulianutter,

You are an inspiration to all.

I am sure everyone's thoughts and sincerest wishes for the very best of outcome is with you.

May you live free from cancer, and in very good health for many, many more years to come.

And may you achieve, which I believe you will, all the sailing challenges to which you commit yourself now and in the future.