I had a nice, brief, discussion on Facebook about the use of the word "hero" to describe someone with leukemia. This article on the New York Times Wellness blog speaks to that as well.
Then there’s the matter of bravery. We call cancer patients “brave,” perhaps, because the very word cancer makes most of us tremble in fear. But there is nothing brave about showing up for surgery or radiation sessions. Is a tree brave for still standing after its leaves shrivel and fall? Bravery entails choice, and most patients have very little choice but to undergo treatment.
The article is a quick read. Recommended.