The stories that people have about cancer are personal and intimate. It is rare that a writer even tries to write a story about cancer because if it is done wrong it is instantly condemned. You must balance realism with fiction in a way that is rarely effective.
One of the few well received stories about cancer is The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. The story follows Hazel and Augustus through their love and cancer stories. It is heartfelt and relatable, but the best thing about it is that their cancer is not the most important thing about them.
Augustus stresses throughout the novel that he doesn’t want to be defined by his illness and Hazel echoes the sentiment. They are more than their sickness and that is what makes their story so impactful.
For those that have had family who have lived or suffered through cancer it is a story that is all too true. People who have cancer are just like any other person the only difference is that they are sick. And for many while cancer is one of the identities that they have, it is not the only one they want to be seen as.
Another example of note is the character of Wade Wilson in Deadpool. Wade, or Deadpool as he comes to be known, gets diagnosed with cancer and his first concern is that he doesn’t want people to see him as sick. He goes so far as to run away from his life in search of a cure to get away from the identity.
Many in real life struggle with being identified as the sickness they have acquired, a reason that contributes to the lack of authentic stories about cancer. When the real people changed by cancer so often want to be seen as more than their diagnosis it is hard to relate to characters that seem to be defined by just that.