"THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER" "The National Society for the Fight against Cancer" "For whom tolls the bell?" "For someone who waited too long." "But you had better hear how it happened." "DIED TODAY, 32 YEARS OLD." "There is a lump in one breast." "A hard lump, isn't it?" "What do you think, Professor?" "I hope that it is benign." "But you can never tell until it's been analysed." "So what now, Professor?" "The best thing would be to have you admitted to the hospital straightaway, to have it removed." "But what if it's just benign, like you say?" "Then there's no risk of it becoming malignant." "So you're not really sure whether it is malignant or not?" "No, first I must do some tests." "Surely you don't want me to stay at the hospital just like that?" " Yes, I do." " Now?" " Immediately?" " Yes." "If you are admitted straightaway, I can almost promise that you can be completely cured, even if it turns out to be cancer." "The sooner you get treatment, the better your chances are." "I don't understand, Professor." "ls it that urgent?" "I'm not in pain." "Be glad of that." "Once you are in pain, the chances are not good." "As long as the cancer is limited to the mammary glands, it is not so serious." "But if it spreads, it can soon become serious, or even hopeless." "Therefore you should be admitted immediately." "Right now is not possible." " Why not?" " It's my husband's birthday next week." "The following week he is on holiday, and we're going on a oar journey." "I understand that you would like to go on that trip." "But it would be much better to have it taken care of immediately." "Maybe, but I can't do that." "We have both been looking forward to that trip so much." "And maybe this is nothing." "Maybe it will just disappear." "Well, I think you're making a big mistake." "Maybe." "Don't be angry with me, but I'll take the chance." "You shouldn't." "It will be your own responsibility." "And remember that each week that passes can become fatal." " I will, Professor." "Goodbye." " Goodbye." " I'll come back as soon as I can." " Don't wait too long." "She did wait too long." "Why wouldn't she listen?" "Isn't it incredible that people can be so careless?" " They think it will be all right." " Exactly." "If only people would understand that it's a matter of life and death." "Please sit down." "Oh, yes, the sore on the lip." " How long have you had it?" " About a month." "And it won't heal?" "No." "I thought I'd better let you look at it." "You were wise to do that." "Let me have a look." "There is no doubt- this is a cancerous sore." "But it's not very big." "Therefore we can soon cure it." "Follow the doctor, we'll treat you straightaway and you'll get better." "There was someone who did not wait until it was too late." "Wouldn't you like to see some photographs of lip cancer?" "You are new on this ward." "RADIUM THERAPY" "There." "Now don't move until I come back." "This is a new case of lip cancer." "When the cancer is no bigger than this, you have a 100% chance of curing it." "This is before treatment and after treatment." "But here you see a more severe case." "You can expect to cure around 65% of cases like this." "But here you have a case of very severe and advanced lip cancer." "In such cases, maybe just 5 or 10% are cured." "And the others?" "Well, they die." "RADIUM THERAPY" " There." "That was it." " Was that all?" "That wasn't so bad, was it?" " No." "But am I cured now?" " You should be." "But you mustn't forget to come for a check-up." " Certainly not." "When do I come back?" " In three months." " Goodbye." " Don't forget." "VERY IMPORTANT:" "YOU MUST COME FOR REGULAR CHECK-UPS." "How do you do, Mrs Holm." "Please sit down." "I have just received the result of the microscopic analysis." "What does it say?" "It says that there is a small ulcer on the uterus that must be treated." "You mustn't be too frightened." "It also says that it's a rather benign case." "Oh, how terrible." "You mustn't expect the worst." "It isn't all that bad, because you've had the sense to get here in time." "What can be done about it?" "We'll keep you here at the hospital, and then we'll do what is necessary." "Yes, please." "Will you take care of Mrs Holm?" " Will she be cured?" " I believe so." "She came during the first stage, if you know what that means." " It was never explained properly." " Then I'll explain it." "Come along." "Please sit down." "This is the first stage that we talked about." "The uterine cancer is limited to the neck of the uterus." "Of this type, about 60% are cured." "That's the first stage." "At the second stage, the uterine cancer has spread to the vagina." "That's already more serious, and only about 40% are cured." "At the third stage, the cancer has broken through to the pelvic wall." "Of this type, around 20% are cured." "Finally, at the fourth stage, the cancer has spread to organs around the uterus, the bladder and the intestine, for example." "That type is so hopeless that hardly anyone is cured." "You can see how serious these last stages are." "So we must never tire of repeating again and again that people must see a doctor as soon as they notice anything that might be a sign of cancer." "Now you know so much more." "Mrs Eriksen is leaving." "Mrs Eriksen?" "That's right, she's being discharged today." "Those are all people who did not wait too long." "DON'T WAIT TOO LONG!" "IF YOU ARE IN ANY DOUBT WHATSOEVER, SEE YOUR DOCTOR." "REMEMBER THAT HE IS THE ONE WHO MUST REFER YOU" "TO THE RADIOLOGY DEPARTMENT." "DENMARK HAS THREE LARGE RADIOLOGY DEPARTMENTS" " ONE IN COPENHAGEN " " ONE IN ODENSE " " AND ONE IN AARHUS " "THE END"