In 1998, I received a call from an upcoming cover interview subject, who took a break from helping her parents move into a new home to speak with me. After Dana Reeve finished our interview, she went right back to moving boxes and furniture for her mom and dad.    

Through the years, we have all come to know Dana because of her family’s personal story of courage and her commitment throughout Chris’s injury, the creation of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation and his passing. One of the most striking things about Dana is her absolute honesty.  I have used her quotes from the interview many times in conferences and private conversations with caregivers.  She was so frank and open, that at first I wondered if she knew that I was writing everything down for the interview.  But if this past week is any indication, these qualities characterize just who she is as a person.  Last week, Dana announced that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer. On the heels of Peter Jennings passing from the same disease, Dana’s announcement helped bring the disease out in the open and, as usual when public figures are diagnosed with an illness, educated us about an important health topic.

Lung cancer kills more people than colon, breast and prostate cancer combined and carries a stigma unlike many other cancers. We all know by now that the vast majority of cases are related to smoking (over 87%), but I for one, didn’t know that of the rest of those who have contracted the disease, there were twice as many non-smoking women as non-smoking men. If you are a smoker, find a way to quit, every year after you quit, your risk of contracting the disease declines significantly. If you stopped, do everything in your power not to start again. There is great conversation among doctors about the value of CT scans as a diagnostic tool, some fear the problems that false positives would cause.  But one thing is certain, thanks to Dana Reeve and Peter Jennings, more of us are talking about the subject, and many lives will be saved.

The following is a portion of a note from Dana on the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation website:

…”Now, more than ever, I feel Chris with me as I face this challenge. As always, I look to him as the ultimate example of defying the odds with strength, courage, and hope in the face of life’s adversities.”

Strength, courage and hope. That’s how we feel about you too, Dana.

Dana Reeves Interview

Gary Barg
Editor-in-Chief
gary@caregiver.com