Looking to Blame

I was over at Smile Politely yesterday and noticed a comment on the article about Susan G. Komen.  The comment read:

Losing weight is the best weigh (sic) to fight breast cancer. And lose the sugary desserts. Sorry ladies,  but that junk in the trunk has to go.

That comment stuck in my head all day and kept company with other comments I've heard about those with cancer. 

When my sister was diagnosed with bile duct cancer, a friend asked, "oh, did she eat a lot of red meat?"  Well, she grew up on an average American diet although as an adult she generally ate better and more carefully than much of America. 

When a friend was diagnosed with lung cancer people immediately asked, "oh, did she smoke?" Uh, no she didn't.

I fully agree that there are environmental factors that create or encourage carcinogens and cancer growth.  But this knee-jerk reaction to hearing about someone's cancer diagnosis and immediately trying to find out why it's somehow their fault just infuriates me to a degree I just can't even articulate.  Can't even ARTICULATE.

So losing weight is the way to fight breast cancer.  Then why do I have so many very thin friends who have been diagnosed with breast cancer?  Why is that?

Yes, obesity is bad.  Yes, I myself should lose weight.  Yes, we have a certain amount of responsibility for our own health. 

And honestly, I know that much of this stems from people looking for a way to say, "well, it couldn't happen to me."  But you know, yes it could. 

Of course if you can point a finger you can feel safe, can't you?  We all want to feel safe.  We all feel like "it can't happen to me."