Not all heroes wear capes.
In fact, if we are being honest with ourselves, the only ones that do exist are only to be found in the make-believe world of Marvel and DC Comics.
The real-life heroes who make lives better every day wear uniforms, sometimes coveralls, and lab coats.
The former — namely emergency personnel such as police, firefighters and paramedics as well as utility workers who endeavour tirelessly to restore services in the face of disaster — occasionally and rightfully receive accolades for their admirable and commendable contributions to society.
However, the latter — those who toil away behind microscopes and analyze mind-numbing loads of data in research laboratories all over the world in an effort to pave the way for tomorrow’s medical breakthroughs — only ever seem to receive a rare passing nod of approval.
Even worse, they are also in the eyes of many people often regarded suspiciously as puppets or shills that seek to squeeze every penny from people to make massive profits selling snake oil, despite the fact the inventors of insulin and the polio vaccine made those discoveries available essentially for free.
Perhaps arguably the most important thing to remember about the scientific community is that frauds are exposed through extensive peer review. Claims that cannot be independently reproduced and verified by others are quickly debunked.
Over time, this process works well — although not always as fast as we would like — to eliminate hoaxes while improving existing treatments and even discovering breakthroughs.
Don’t believe it?
Consider the documented, objective, empirical, irrefutable fact that barely decades ago, certain types of cancer were essentially a guaranteed death sentence.
For example, the kind of cancer that claimed the life of Terry Fox is now highly survivable and treatment rarely even requires amputation anymore.
That did not happen without sustained support for cancer research.
Sadly, an effective treatment for one form of cancer has no impact on another type, and the road ahead remains long.
But every day, scientists and researchers continue to push the boundaries of medical knowledge. If a cancer that a few decades ago was all but terminal is today highly survivable, one can only imagine where we’ll be in another few decades.
Of course the best defence against cancer is early detection. That means regular visits to the doctor.
While that largely applies to people who have passed the 40-year-old benchmark, it’s never too early to schedule a physical.
— Ducatel is the Round Up’s editor
