Actress Catherine Bell, who may be best known for her role in the television series J.A.G., is a thyroid
cancer survivor and celebrity spokesperson for The Thyroid Cancer Survivors Association, ThyCa. Bell is featured in
ThyCa's Thyroid Cancer Awareness
patient brochure, where
she shares her own thyroid cancer survivor story and highlights the importance of learning about the disease and the
resources available for thyroid cancer patients.
In 1989, Catherine Bell was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
As part of her treatment, she underwent surgery and makes no effort to hide the thyroidectomy scar at the base of her
neck. Bell is quoted as saying, "I think it's kinda cool. I'm living proof that early detection and treatment
work." In addition, Bell has made no effort to conceal the fact that she is a
Scientologist. As
Mary Shomon, About.com thyroid guide points out, "a group
that is actively fighting against key sectors of the medical community, namely the mental health and psychiatry
community."
My understanding into the philosophy and beliefs of Scientologists regarding the medical
community's use of prescription drugs begin and end with Tom Cruise's rather passionate outburst during his interview
with Matt Lauer last year over the discussion of psychiatry, and Cruise's public attack of Brooke Shields for taking
antidepressants for postpartum depression. Shomon, who presents her concerns in much more depth than I do for her here,
raises questions over the vision of the thyroid organization's choice of celebrity spokesperson. To date, ThyCa has
refused to answer Shoman's requests for a comment on this issue, and concludes by saying, "This leaves me to
assume that ThyCa is hoping that no one besides me notices that one of the nation's most prominent Scientologists is on
the cover of their patient brochure." Do you think it matters that Bell, as a thyroid cancer survivor chosen as a
spokesperson for a thyroid cancer organization, is also a Scientologist?
Attention Thyroid cancer survivors and patients: the Thyroid Cancer Survivors Conference is happening this fall in San Francisco on October 19-21. The conference will be an invaluable resource for those affected by the disease, and features many experts on the disease among its panel of speakers. The sessions won't just be about the science behind the disease -- there will be talks on coping skills, healing and general well-being. Past conference attendees have lots of good things to say about the experience, which you can read for yourself here. 
