JUST ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW!!!

Spending at least several hours more awake than asleep last night, I tuned into L.B.C as my beautiful, sleek n silver ipod , loaded up with culturally rich podcasts has gone into freeze mode on me! Quick note here....buy from John Lewis....they replace without question, quick n fast....and my new one will arrive on Tuesday afternoon! Back to L.B.C then! If you've ever earwigged into the phone ins throughout the night then you'll understand that the callers and subjects discussed can be anything from mundane to simply irritating but it was no surprise to hear that the majority of callers wanted their say about the Jade Goody wedding/publicity/cancer story. I've enjoyed a few reality TV shows in my time but have never found time, energy or desire to watch Big Brother and consequently know little about Ms Goody but somehow or other the media have spared her sufficient space even outside of the tabloid sheets that she like many other 'non events' have become household names! I have heard about her devestated childhood, spearheaded by drug abusing parents and her lack of formal education yet despite all odds being against her, she has been determined not to fade into the obvlivion but to forge her way into a spotlight through sheer determination and motivation even if all the publicity hasn't necessarily been in her favour. Over the past few weeks we have been awarding credits in all forms to the film Slumdog millionaire which depicts youngsters with no reason to succeed an opportunity to break from the harrowing life of poverty and insecurity ...yes of course thats just a film, but here the Goody story wins no oscars....Her planned wedding ceremony today can only ever be the beginning of a very shortlived, sick and sad few months and as someone who has weathered the devestation of Cancer twice myself, I am, perhaps, in some position to in a small but not insignificant way, to understand her fear factor and desire to find a way to provide for her youngsters. When Cancer is involved, education, wealth and love may indeed have a small part to play, but ultimately the suffering is widespread and a turmoil of emotions ripple from home to worklife, from nearest to friends rarely seen and the care the patient receives is largely a lottery. Fortunately for myself, the Royal Marsden which is a centre of excellence, an NHS hospital in both Fulham and Sutton in Surrey mananged to help me through my last six months. For Jade, the very same hospital with the same expertise are unable to give her much in the way of hope! In my own situation, being self employed for 28 years and married means that my financial benefits are limited to £63 a week for a maximum of 6 months after which I will not be in a position to claim any benefits as I am deemed fit for some sort of work and my husband should be able to care for me...As if it isn't enough to live with the strain of the diagnosis, the treatments and the knock on effects of weakness both of body and mind the government creates its own limits which clearly does not meet the needs of the many. So whilst Jade and I have little in common, though if I'm not mistaken, we are both essex girls, who am I and indeed, who are we to judge her for keeping her profile raised, for selling her story and for ensuring that one way or other her boys wont have to be financially insecure. The media circus are no doubt fighting for their rights to the book, interviews, documentary and film which once again reflects that society is thirsty and always ready to buy into others misfortunes. Dignity isn't a consideration. I hope her two young sons will remember her with high regard, will recognise that despite all, she was hoping to provide them with some security and whilst marriage isn't necessarily the fairytale we'd all like it to be....i wish her a wonderful day!