I am always interested to see how cancer will be portrayed on the big screen and on television. On the hit series Breaking Bad, high school teacher and genius Walter White played by Bryan Cranston is diagnosed with lung cancer.
Walter White is a good and predictable father, an overeducated genius and bored high school teacher, and a good husband who’s wife wears the pants in the family. When Walter realizes that his time is limited, he desperately wants to be able to leave some money for his family and creates a methamphetamine lab with a former student.
For his cancer treatment, Walter’s doctors advises him to have the standard chemotherapy and radiation since the tumor is inoperable.
What about holistic and alternative healthcare options, did Walter consider these options?
The only time it was mentioned in the series is when Walter’s wife Skylar questioned the doctor about it. See how it was minimized by the show —almost like a paid advertisement from the American Medical Association, which has a very long history of suppressing alternative or holistic treatments for cancer:
SKYLAR: I…I’ve…been wondering about Alternative Medicine… I mean … Eastern Healing… you know… holistic?
DOCTOR: I can’t speak to its efficacy, but as long as it doesn’t interfere with our treatment. Anything that helps patients have better outlook—better comfort—is fine by me.
SKYLAR: So … you’re saying…it’s all psychological …. It doesn’t make any real difference?
DOCTOR: Having a better outlook can make tremendous difference… But it’s also important we manage our expectations.
This was the only mention of alternative/holistic/eastern healing. It was minimized and said to help improve Walter’s outlook, but it is really saying Walter needs the “real medicine”, or chemotherapy.
Of course his “real” treatment is temporary and costs a fortune. Chemotherapy and radiation does not “cure” cancer, but at best the cancer will be in remission, meaning there is no promise or guarantee that it will not come back.
And of course the costs are incredibly high, and Walter’s wealthy friends (who got rich from his own idea and he still has underlying hostility towards) offer to pay his bills. Walter is too proud and still bitter, and would rather use his drug money profits or die before taking their money.
So Walter goes thru the dreaded treatments, and we see his after effects of violent and painful nausea and vomiting, as well as the hair loss (which turns out he actually wears very well).
Walter goes on with his meth production. When his wife Skylar finds out, he explains to her he wants to leave money for his family, and “he’s doing it for the family”. We hear him plead to his wife several times during the series that he is “dong it for the family.”
But after his new hobby causes considerable amount of damage, destruction, and death along the way, as well as divorce. After over 80 millions dollars in profit, it is apparent that making methamphetamine means much more to Walter than “doing it for the family.”
Walter changes from a predictable and boring teacher to a bold and daring negotiator, able to plot and scheme and keep his cool in a variety of sticky situations.
Then once he feels he has enough money and drama and is ready to quit the drug business, the cancer comes back, and now Walter’s days are numbered.
According to natural cancer treatments, people who have cancer it’s often a sign that they aren’t doing what they should be doing, and the cancer reminds them that if there’s limited time then how do you want to spend it? Are we fulfilling our dreams and living the life we want to live? Or we doing things that make us feel alive?
In one of the final scenes Walter returns to visit Skylar. He finally admits for the first time that he wasn’t doing it for the family.
Walter: All the things that I did… you need to understand—
Skylar: If I have to hear one more time… that you did this for the family—
Walter: I did it for me.
I liked it.
I was good at it.
And … I was … really… (tears in his eyes)
I was alive.
In summary, portrayal of western medicine was accurate, that it is temporary, toxic, costs a fortune, and is recommended by the medical professionals, and the cancer still came back. As far as the portrayal of alternative and holistic health was inaccurate to minimize it and describe it as something that “can improve patient’s outlook.” It is possible to heal oneself completely of cancer using only holistic and alternative healthcare options.
However, Breaking Bad did portray that when you are doing things that make you “feel alive”, then you don’t have cancer. Walter’s cancer came back when he quit making methamphetamine. However, it would probably be more ideal to find a passion that isn’t illegal, doesn’t cause harm, addiction, and several people aren’t killed in the process.
Recent Comments