cancer

I am reading the Penderwicks to Jackson before bedtime, a sweet story about four girls on a summer vacation and the adventures they have with a curious little boy.  About four chapters into the story we read that the girls' mother died of cancer when the youngest was small.  Jackson occasionally stops me to define a word or read a section over, but waited until the chapter was over to ask, "what is cancer?"

I was pretty sure he wouldn't miss that detail, but anticipated a conversation about the girls loosing their mother.  He was more concerned about the science behind cancer; what is it?  how do you get it?  how do you know you have it?  what can you do about it?  

for over an hour we talked about "little balls of sickness"(my definition of a tumor), rapidly growing cells, mammograms, radiation, chemotherapy, antioxidants and other cancer-fighting foods.  i was glad i had my google friend on hand for help with definitions, then later ended up at the library looking for more information. 

"ladies should get a mammogram like EVERY day!" he exclaimed until i questioned whether he would like to visit the doctor every day.

"we have a lot of really smart people in this world.  why haven't they figured out a cure for cancer yet?" he asked.  good question.  

the following morning we juiced a bunch of veggies for breakfast.  when our neighbor came down for a visit jackson informed him that he was having kale for breakfast so he didn't get cancer. it is a little morbid to hear a six-year-old talk so much about cancer, but he really seems interested in the science around it and wants to help figure out a solution.  it is exciting to see how his brain works, fueled by knowledge he desires to think more deeply about things.  he isn't content with just one answer, one solution.  he's the scenario man.  my mother-in-law says that hubby thought about things in the same way.  

yesterday he filled up hubby's thermos with water and headed out to the back yard.  "i'm having a meeting out back", he told me.  i asked what the meeting was about and he replied, "we are taking turns coming up with ideas for cures for cancer.   

when he came home from school he practically scolded me, "mom!  you didn't give me any cancer-fighting foods in my lunch!"  i guess our prior conversation about wanting to buy a school lunch is over.

our friends brought over a bottle of wine for dinner and jackson exclaimed, "hey!  wine is a cancer-fighting food, can i have a glass?"

so, if you know of any good books about cancer, i'd love to hear about them!  

and, eat your greens!