One of my cycling partners has cancer. He had his prostate removed and went through a round of chemo over winter. He's been riding really strong this season, especially considering he wasn't able to do any off-season training. But after today's ride he told me he got some bad news from the doctor and the prognosis is very much in question. The treatments he said he's in for sound so invasive and barbaric I get the sense they're a last-ditch effort.
I'd like to share some information with him about whole food/plant based diet and cancer. I can't even begin to understand what he's going through though, and I don't know if it would be appropriate. I try not to proselytise veganism...it's generally not effective, and may do more harm than good.
If I was in his position and someone tried to convert me to their religion in order to "save my soul" I would be disappointed at best. It's not right to use someone's mortal vulnerability to push your agenda. But there is actual medical evidence that a WFPB diet could improve his prognosis. There's probably a very small chance that this could be the difference between life and death...but if it just gave him a couple more weeks of decent health, wouldn't that be worth it?
This feels like something that should be dealt with between him and his doctors. I'm no expert. He's not trying to crowd-source his treatment plan. I'd hate to feel like I didn't try to help, but my feelings aren't what's important here. Should I just bite my tongue?
If I say something I want to keep it brief and low-pressure...despite the thread title I'm not going to sit him down and have some heavy discussion about how he's on the wrong path. That would obviously be out of line. I'm thinking of sending him a link to a Dr. Greger video with a suggestion that he talk to his doctors about it. This has got to be a really sensitive issue with him though and I don't want to play this the wrong way.
What would you do? Surely some of you have had friends or loved ones with cancer...did you say anything? If so, what did you say and how did they respond? If not, do you regret it?
I'd like to share some information with him about whole food/plant based diet and cancer. I can't even begin to understand what he's going through though, and I don't know if it would be appropriate. I try not to proselytise veganism...it's generally not effective, and may do more harm than good.
If I was in his position and someone tried to convert me to their religion in order to "save my soul" I would be disappointed at best. It's not right to use someone's mortal vulnerability to push your agenda. But there is actual medical evidence that a WFPB diet could improve his prognosis. There's probably a very small chance that this could be the difference between life and death...but if it just gave him a couple more weeks of decent health, wouldn't that be worth it?
This feels like something that should be dealt with between him and his doctors. I'm no expert. He's not trying to crowd-source his treatment plan. I'd hate to feel like I didn't try to help, but my feelings aren't what's important here. Should I just bite my tongue?
If I say something I want to keep it brief and low-pressure...despite the thread title I'm not going to sit him down and have some heavy discussion about how he's on the wrong path. That would obviously be out of line. I'm thinking of sending him a link to a Dr. Greger video with a suggestion that he talk to his doctors about it. This has got to be a really sensitive issue with him though and I don't want to play this the wrong way.
What would you do? Surely some of you have had friends or loved ones with cancer...did you say anything? If so, what did you say and how did they respond? If not, do you regret it?
