Page 31 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 15

Health & Healing Leadership

WHEN WE IGNORE THE SIGNS

We Are Slowly Killing Ourselves

By Chioma Phillips

eople have become a little “We tend to get heart attacks, so I’m my hair fall out, so I’m shopping
peculiar in the manner in waiting to see how my own case will for wigs now”. There are those who
which they want to ‘own’ go”. It’s as though this is a badge don’t talk about what they may be
Psickness and in very weird of honor. The statement is usually going through, but many of those
ways either take pride in it or try to accompanied by a facial expression have also embraced it, as though it
milk compassion and an odd sort of that says, “I’m brave and I suffer is a mandatory part of life that was
social standing from it. In much the much, but that’s the journey”. Then programmed for them. You may
same way as they will tell you, “I’m they look into your eyes to gauge think me heartless, but I’m trying to
the CEO”, they are now willing to your reaction, the impact of their get to a point that I would like you
blurt out “I have cancer, stage 4”. comment or maybe even try to elicit to consider.
They will say, “My cancer is really more sympathy with a, “It’s very
bad”, “My family has Alzheimer’s”, serious” or “The chemo is making There is an acceptance of dis-ease

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