I wonder how many of you read the thumbnail item in Jeremy Clarksons column in The Sun yesterday.The Sun is supposedly waging a "War on Cancer" and for that i applaude them but using the subject of the HPV virus link with Oral Cancer to get a cheap laugh is the absolute pits as far as i am concerned.How are we ever to get the subject of Oral Cancer taken seriously when public figures like Jeremy see it as nothing more than an "joke" opportunity.Following the article in The Sun last week headlined "Oral Sex causes throat Cancer" Robin has already been subjected to smutty inuendos in our local.

The SUN I put that on par with the Beano and would not even bother looking at it

*aul

Hi cookey and paul. I think that some people approach cancer with humour because it makes them uncomfortable and they dont know how else to deal with it. If you are having a rough time of it at the moment then I can see why it would cause upset,I've been there myself in the past, but I have been joking about it ever since I read about it aswell. I'm a biker and a while ago Jeremy was advocating putting wires across lamp posts to take the heads off bikers. Didn't bother me at all,I still think he's hilarious. I think there has to be humour about cancer sometimes,it helps to break down a few barriers in a roundabout sort of way and at least it brings it to peoples attention. By the way,I'm not a big fan of The Sun either. All the best to both you and yours.

You may not read the Sun Paul but i am afraid millions of people do.
My point is,that if we want to educate people about HPV i am not sure that these sorts of articles help.Do we really want the British publics only thoughts on the matter to be about a joke they read in the tabloid press,or worse still the overstated headline last week ORAL SEX CAUSES THROAT CANCER without much in the way of genuine reasons why scientists now belive there is a link.

Hagg i am sorry if i seem humourless believe me Robin and i sometimes find the only way to cope with his cancer is to have a laugh.When he had his neck dissection the only way i could stop from crying was to tell him he gave Frankensteins monster a run for his money!( And he does a neat tassle dance with his tube when he wants feeding)
I love Jeremy Clarksons column and often find he echoes my sentiments on certain aspects of life, but i think this subject is too serious,too new and far too important to be the target of "off " humour just yet


Liz

I do see your point Liz and I remember how I felt early on in my treatment. People would not expect you to have much of a sense of humour about cancer at the moment,perfectly understandable. I'm 10 years on from my diagnosis so I do see things from a different perspective. I hope I caused no offence to you and Robin.

I can see both sides here, but I also believe that you should email the editor at the Sun - after all the ultimate responsibility of what is printed in his paper lies at his door and he should be made aware of the pain sometimes caused.

Hi Winnie and Hagg

I E-Mailed the editor of The Sun on Sunday and i also E-Mailed the Sun Health page.My reasons for doing that were because The Sun is waging a War On Cancer at the moment and is supposed to be highlighting Oral Cancer,its causes and its effects.I support this 100% but feel it was perhaps unwise to allow Jeremy Clarkson to put in his two pennyworth first.
I got a reply from the Editor today saying he had passed my E-Mail on to Jeremy,so i expect i will be the source of yet another of his broadsides in next weeks column!!

Hagg i wasnt in the least offended in fact when i calmed down i realised myself i might have over reacted a little ,but i feel so passionate about this disease being brought to the publics attention in an informative way that i just saw red.Anyway its good to know that you survivors out there didnt lose your sense of humour,and i hope mine will be right behind yours.

Love Liz

Liz,I dont think you over reacted at all. You are under a great deal of stress at the moment so your view is understanadable. At least Jeremy will get to hear your concerns. All the best.

Hi Liz,

When I read your post I too was furious. It just shows how ignorant Jeremy Clarkson is to have made a joke out of mouth cancer. He obviously has no idea of the suffering and despair that people like those on this site have gone through and many are still going through. I wonder how Jeremy Clarkson would have felt if Richard Hammond had not recovered so well from his accident and other tabloid columnists had made jokes out of him. I can guarantee that there would have been public outrage directed at the writer responsible.

I'm off now to email The Sun.

Good on you Lorraine