Prevention best cure

Hoops for Hope Cancer Basketball and efforts like Run for the Cure are laudatory, but they miss the fundamental reality that we are nowhere near a silver bullet cure for most types of cancer. Rather than hold out false hopes, efforts might be better spent on public awareness about how not to get cancer in the first place.

After decades of long-term studies by our best medical researchers about cancer risk factors we continue to be overweight, refuse to limit our alcohol consumption to one drink a day or less (or none), refuse to limit red meat consumption to one day a week or less, and continue to consume other high-risk foods that have proven cancer connections. For those who wish to inform themselves about these realities, the respected Center for Science in the Public Interest and other organizations have many helpful suggestions both online and in print.

Emotional public gestures are welcome, and even more so are noble efforts to help people who are struggling with cancer, but let’s not lose sight of the three P’s – prevention, prevention and prevention.

Leland Alkire

Spokane