Nowotvór means cancer in Polish.

Thursday, June 9, 2016
While on a short walk this week, I ran into a dear neighbor who hugged me without saying a word. But the hug said everything, "I just heard you have cancer." One thing I have in common with her is that we both speak French. I asked her if she knew the word for cancer in French. Neither one of us was sure. Perhaps this terrible disease would set a little better if it had a beautiful name pronounced with a delicate French accent.

Well, it turns out that the French word is Cancer. The Spanish word is Cáncer.  Even the Swedish word is Cancer; Italian-Cancro; Dutch-Kanker; and Cebuano-Kanser.

I then set out on a quest to find a translation that would make me feel better about my diagnosis. And where should I find it? In the Polish language. The Polish word for cancer is NOWOTWÓR. 

At first glance, I was breaking the syllables down this way: no - wo- twór. Then it occurred to me to try it like: now - ot - wór. Then it clicked -- NOW AT WAR!!!! I am now at war against the "emporer of all maladies" - cancer.

In the wee hours of the morning when I cannot sleep and my brain starts to go to scary places, I just remember that I am "now at war." Today when I was in the MRI tunnel, for what seemed like eternity, I had to remember that I am at war against cancer. I have to fight! I am a warrior!! --Elizabeth