Friday 2 November 2007

"Dramatic" announcement of Olmert's prostate cancer

Cancer is still a scary word although more and more forms or cancer can be cured or arrested. But the media (unlike doctors) don't want to calm you. A few days ago Ehud Olmert, Israel's prime minister, called a press conference to announce that he has a "malignant growth in his prostate gland" i.e. prostate cancer.

This is far from uncommon amongst males over 50 and is well treatable by a variety of means. Mr Olmert decided to go public with the information (and his decision to have it surgically treated) a few days after being told by his doctors. He did so in a very sober, balanced way and any rational professional would agree that there is no particular cause for concern. That, of course, did not stop all the newscasters and commentators from talking about the "dramatic" announcement. But there was no drama there. They, the media, as usual are trying to create it

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