I met my first  charlatan last week. I’m sure I’ve known other ones.  A charlatan presents as someone who is an authority on a subject when in fact she’s not. She often times is looking to profit from her faulty information, but not always.

This woman approached me at a cancer class. She said my cancer was caused by an imbalance in my body. She could cure me. Doctors were clueless. Nurses were clueless, too. I really needed to go to her program and learn about the acid-alkaline diet. ( A friend had already given me a book on the subject.) I would be better. I would feel better. She didn’t have a card and mentioned she did a lot of other things. She wrote her info on the back of one of her other cards. Contact me, she said.

To me the fundamental  sign of a charlatan is her attitude that she know best and that all the other resources in the world are bogus. There are too many good resources in the world. Each makes a contribution to our pot of well being. I value many. I instinctively discounted her because she discounted everyone else.

I love my rheumatologist and my endocrinologist. I am grateful to the hospital chaplain who leads my cancer support group. I am learning so much from my cancer yoga instructor. My pharmacist has gotten me through the complexity of my drug regimen. My physical therapist has been a god send. Add to all the support these wonderful people have given me are David Servan-Schrieber’s amazing book Anti-Cancer.  It has been an excellent guide to help my mind adjust and come to terms with my situation.

Each person on my cancer team plays a different role. Each is valuable. No charlatans for me. Plus I can see them coming.

March 2014