Debunking the Myth That Healthy People Don’t Get Cancer

The myth that healthy people don’t get cancer fosters shame, but cancer can affect anyone, regardless of lifestyle, and compassion is key to supporting those diagnosed.

Last year, while in the midst of receiving radiation treatment, a national headline caught my attention: “Catherine, Princess of Wales, Has Cancer.” I shared it with my friend Amy, who had completed her cancer treatment a few years earlier. Her response was, “Maybe she didn’t eat a healthy diet?” I immediately understood her humor, but she quickly followed up with, “Sorry, bad joke.”

This exchange epitomizes an unfortunate reality: the pervasive myth that healthy people don’t get cancer. It suggests that if you maintain a healthy lifestyle, you’re immune to such a diagnosis. We’ve all internalized this myth to some degree, including healthcare providers. It’s a belief that casts a shadow of shame over those diagnosed when, in truth, cancer can affect anyone.

Both Amy and I received unsolicited criticism regarding our lifestyle choices after our diagnoses. Here are just a few of the real statements we encountered from well-meaning people:

• “Do you know what a plant-based diet is?”
• “How much alcohol do you drink?”
• “What is happening spiritually that you’re making this happen?”
• “Do you exercise?”
• “Have you considered going to church?”
• “That’s why you got cancer, you ate salmon with the skin on it.”

Such comments reveal societal discomfort with illness; the moment cancer appears, people scramble to find an explanation. Although discomfort is understandable, bringing awareness to the harm these comments cause is essential for understanding how to compassionately show up for someone with a cancer diagnosis.

Amy’s Diagnosis: Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma, 2018

I was training for a half marathon at the time of my diagnosis. I was misdiagnosed for nine months, my healthy appearance and energetic lifestyle making it seemingly impossible for my doctor to believe that there was anything wrong. I had to advocate for the tests that led to my diagnosis. Although I felt largely supported post-diagnosis, there lingered an undercurrent of shame, particularly from a friend who is a physician who disappeared post diagnosis. The irony of her own disconnect from emotional support was unsettling. Throughout my treatment, I sought normalcy for the sake of my children, maintaining routines in a bid to control my life amidst the chaos.

Jacey’s Diagnosis: Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS), 2023

At age 50, after a routine mammogram, I received sobering news — a diagnosis of estrogen receptor positive DCIS, or stage 0 cancer. To this day I am still not certain if DCIS is cancer. It is a controversial diagnosis that needs more research. The current standard of care is to treat it as cancer with aggressive treatments: surgery, radiation, estrogen suppressing medication or even mastectomy. This created a paralyzing conflict inside of me that few people really understood. From those that were proponents of the standard of care, I felt judged for not wanting to undergo treatment. From those that saw DCIS as an overdiagnosis, I felt shamed for not being strong enough to stand up for myself and believe that my lifestyle choices could prevent me from getting cancer.

Unpacking the Myth

The truth is there isn’t a population cancer doesn’t impact. No one is immune from cancer. In Peter Attia’s book, “Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity,” he says, “Of all the Horsemen, cancer is probably the hardest to prevent. It is probably also the one where bad luck in various forms plays the greatest role…” While adhering to a healthy lifestyle is important, it does not provide immunity against cancer. We cannot control every variable; some aspects of cancer risk are simply beyond our grasp.

The Compassion Antidote

The antidote to shame is compassion. When a physician acknowledged the randomness of Amy’s diagnosis — “You pulled the bad card” — she felt seen, understood and valued. Shame acts as a barrier to open dialogue about cancer, perpetuating isolation for those affected. It prevents timely diagnoses and hinders healing, both emotionally and physically. When we approach those with a cancer diagnosis, we can strive to convey compassion rather than judgment. By accepting our human vulnerabilities and the realities of cancer we can foster community and support to rally around our friends, family and neighbors who are going through cancer treatment.

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