Monday, September 5, 2011

An Ecologist's Struggle with Cancer

In university I read a book called "Living Downstream," told by an ecologist and cancer survivor about the connections between environmental toxins and health. In beautiful prose, author Sandra Steingraber blends two narratives: the personal Sandra, dealing with the cancer and the scientist Sandra, putting the pieces together
and discussing how carcinogens (cancer causing agents) work.

Most chilling about Sandra's story is that cancer is treated without looking upstream to figure out what causes it. The incidence of cancer rates in certain environmental areas and cities is disproportionately huge and there is enormous scientific evidence that the toxins are causing cancer, yet little work is done to prevent it.

On Twitter, I recently came across the trailer for a documentary based on the book. Cinematic in scope and with Sandra's two voices intact, this is the most chilling trailer I have ever seen. It broke my heart.

4 comments:

  1. Thanks so much! You're always so kind, Sir Lancealot.

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  2. You're right. that was a very compelling trailer. Her story, her voice. And the music was also full of mood and drama.

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  3. Such an inspiring review. THanks for sharing it!

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