From Hugh Watson
This year, at the age of 50 and having led a healthy life, I was diagnosed with signet ring cell cancer of the colon, which has spread. I have one to two years to live. Having been a New Scientist reader for 28 years, I turned to it for wisdom – and found it.
When I die I will in all likelihood not go to heaven. The evidence is against God’s existence (17 March, p 46). Those of faith might say absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. For me, Occam’s razor prevails.
Do I fear the reaper (20 October, p 42)? No, but I would like to live to see my three young children grow up. What about new therapies (13 October, p 38)? No one seems to be doing anything related to this cancer. I guess this one is at the back of the funding queue.
So what hope? Well, I now cycle for over 75 minutes a week as recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine (25 August, p 38) and I have started fasting for two days a week as recommended by the Longevity Institute (17 November, p 46).
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Will this lengthen my life? Time will tell. I am not on chemotherapy at the moment, but I hope that as well as poisoning rapidly dividing cells, the fact that chemo stops most people eating has a hidden benefit that fasting might provide.
Maybe life is just an interesting simulation (29 September, p 47). Nevertheless, I want it to continue. Is there anyone out there with a cure for signet ring cell cancer of the colon?
Cumbernauld, Glasgow, UK
