Miriam Mutebi, Breast Surgical Oncologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the Aga Khan University Hospital, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Social media loves cancer survivor stories.
‘She fought and won.’ ‘Warrior.’ ‘Survivor.’
Working closely with patients of breast cancer, I too celebrate these women every single day. But I sometimes worry that we are missing and obscuring a deeper lesson.
When we focus primarily on survivors as ‘warriors’ who ‘fought’ cancer, we may unintentionally suggest that survival is mostly about individual strength.
That people who die didn’t ‘fight hard enough,’ and that a positive attitude is the key factor. That personal resilience matters more than systemic support.
I’ve seen too many instances to believe any of this is true. What actually influences survival is:
- Having access to early detection.
- Healthcare systems consistently providing chemotherapy.
- Insurance coverage for treatment costs.
- Employers offering medical leave.
- Removal of systemic barriers that stand between patients and care.
Survivors are not just heroes who individually conquered cancer. They are more often people who had access to the systems and support that made survival possible.
When I share survivor stories, I try to frame them more completely:
Not just ‘She survived because she was strong,’ but “She survived because she had access to early detection, affordable treatment, community support, and healthcare systems that worked for her.”
This fuller picture matters.
Implying survival is primarily about personal resilience lets inadequate systems off the hook and overlooks the gaps. And if we only celebrate “warriors,” we may inadvertently shame those whose cancers were too advanced or aggressive to cure, and that is heartbreaking.
Better questions to ask about cancer survival:
Why do some women get early detection while others don’t? Why can some families afford treatment while others go bankrupt? Why do some communities support women through illness while others don’t? What systemic changes would improve survival rates for everyone?
As we celebrate survivors, let’s also celebrate and build the systems that make survival possible.
Do you agree? I talk about this in my book Stuff I’d Tell My Sister. Make it your July read; click on the link in the comments.”
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