Cancer is Not Your Whole Story
How Do Viruses Make Us Sick?
“My dear Holmes, I know your cancer diagnosis must have been a great shock…” I began, in as gentle voice as I could.
In icy tones, Holmes cut me off.
“I am not imagining this crime. And tomorrow night, I’m sorry to say, you will see the proof with your own eyes.”
With that, he bounded down the steps with a defiant energy I had not seen since his diagnosis.
In a new chapter of the iconic detective series, Sherlock Holmes faces an unexpected challenge - living with cancer. Even for the legendary sleuth, a cancer diagnosis can take its toll. Yet, this chapter, inspired by patient experiences, reveals that Sherlock refuses to let his condition define his story. True to form, he immerses himself into solving a gripping case, employing his sharp investigative skills to track down a criminal. All while confronting his illness with the same brilliance that has always set him apart.
Continue to delve into Sherlock’s new chapter and discover that, whether cancer appears at the beginning, middle, or end of someone’s life, it doesn’t have to define their entire story. Cancer can be a Part of the Story.
Significant advancements in science and technology are unlocking the potential to extend and improve the lives of people diagnosed cancer. Yet despite this progress, society’s portrayal of cancer can remain overly simplistic and primarily focused on terminal illness or miraculous recoveries,1 ignoring the complex reality faced by the increasing number of people who navigate cancer as part of their daily lives.
“Inclusion of characters and storylines via the arts... that incorporate cancer not as the subject, but simply as one aspect of a story, help us to transfigure the feared and unknown into the familiar and routine fabric of the public consciousness.”1
With global cancer cases among people under 50 surging by 79% between 1990 and 2019, and ongoing progress in science and treatment, there is a need to re-consider many cancers as a chronic condition – one that many can live with for years.2
And while nobody would ever undermine the emotional toll that comes with a cancer diagnosis and treatment, people with cancer want to share that it is far from their whole story. Year-on-year, more people and their families will be touched by cancer and their stories deserve to be told, this time, with an emphasis on capturing the life that exists between terminal illness and miraculous recovery.
It’s Time to Reframe Cancer as Part of the Story
Reflecting the experience of people living with cancer, Pfizer’s new campaign Part of the Story seeks to reshape the narrative surrounding cancer, drawing inspiration from iconic literature that many of us are familiar with. And in Sherlock’s new chapter, we see that despite a cancer diagnosis, he still wants to solve the latest case.
Inspired by real stories, the new chapter of Sherlock Holmes has been written in collaboration with people living with cancer. This new chapter emphasizes that Sherlock’s life story is rich with experiences, relationships, and aspirations far beyond the scope of his diagnosis.
Cancer remains one of the biggest health challenges of our lifetime, but science brings hope. Through the stories that we all know and love, it’s time to reframe how we think and talk about cancer as more people learn to live with it – as a part of a person’s story, but far from their whole story.
At Pfizer, we’ve shown how we can move with urgency to deliver breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. And now, we’re making significant investments to outdo cancer - nothing is more urgent or more personal than our goal to outpace, outsmart, and outmaneuver cancer at every turn. Our vision is a world where people with cancer live better and longer lives.
We would like to thank all the patient groups and people living with cancer who partnered with Pfizer to share their inspiring stories.
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