Frustrations and Patients

I'm working with a woman who has cancer. They've been treating her with chemotherapy and it has not been working well. She is stronger than when I first met her as a patient. She's actually improving, but not as much as we would both like. She has started with a new oncologist and is hopeful.

Today, however, she has decided to go to Brazil, to a faith healer. João Teixeira de Faria, or "John of God" as he calls himself gets hundreds of pilgrims a day, from all over the world. February 12, 2005, ABC News Primetime devoted an hour to John of God who claims to channel 35 healers. There are many testimonials, but no evidence that this charlatain's parlor tricks have really done any good. Every apparent cure has proven subject to better alternative explanations. Those who have not been "cured" are told that it was because of their own lack of faith. Very convenient for senhor Joao.

It troubles me that in the 21st century so many people harbor so many superstitious notions. My patient is prepared to spend an enormous sum pursuing this. Of course, there are unexplained remissions, but those also happen with patients who do not go to shamans and faith healers. When a patient does get better without a medical cause, we do not note the "reason." We simply celebrate the healing. If it happens after someone goes to "John of God," then it is attributed to him.

I do believe that a deep spiritual life is important and that it does improve our lives. A positive attitude promotes healing. Reducing stress whether through relaxation techniques, meditation, hypnosis or prayer does encourage the body to throw-off illness and to recover from surgery. There has been much well-considered and well-designed research demonstrating this. But it is very different from going 7000 miles and spending $4-5,000 to see an uneducated farmer with no medical training. (Airfare, housing, guides, etc.)

As the Skeptic's Dictionary says

What are the odds that a farmer in a remote area of Brazil who has no medical training and who sticks metal deep into people's nostrils, causing them to bleed even if relatively painlessly, who slits with a knife areas on the body that have no known physiological relationship to what ails the patient and then sticks his finger in the open wound, who claims that God does the work even though he has about 35 dead doctors and healers to assist him by doing invisible surgery from the spirit world, and so on....what are the odds that this guy is performing miracles?

The same people who will flock to such a person reject any notion of Jesus Christ healing people as related in the New Testament. I am not saying the miracle stories in the New Testament are literally true. I don't believe in their literal truth either. They may contain truth for me in the spiritual insights they metaphorically point to. Their truth, like that of all scripture, is metaphoric not literal. But why be skeptical of one group of stories and not the other?

Of course I don't begrudge anyone the chance to visit Brazil. I think Brazil is a great and charming place to visit--even to live. The Brazilian people are marvelous. While they may harbor many superstitions, their culture is, in many ways, much more free than ours. They have many foods--especially a wide variety of fruits and vegetables--that are great. They have produced some of what I consider to be the best dance music. Brazil is also the one Latin nation where nudism, which I value, is well-established.

I just think my patient would do better to go to Brazil, enjoy the beaches and the food, or a samba club or--well, you get the idea--rather than giving the money to someone who calls himself "John of God."

I do understand that she is frightened. She has the "big 'C'". The chemo didn't work as well as they hoped. I do really have empathy for her and will not lay all this trip on her. I'm just sharing it with you who might be reading my blog. I simply lament the state of thinking in this country.

If we were a more enlightened people we might avoid so many of the errors we make, from destroying our environment, invading other countries, electing idiots, thieves and criminals as president and vice-president. We might find the wisdom to solve our nation's problems like racism, homophobia, sexism. We might fund science better. More medical research with stem cells might relieve more suffering. We might learn from history.

(Information: Abadiania, Brazil is located about 25 miles from the city of Brasilia--the capital of Brazil--on the road to Goiania. As an aside, the city of Brasilia is worth the trip. Or just go to Natal and enjoy the beaches.)