Ok, every other day I see someone complaining that when people use the term "CFer" that they are offended by the term. As I use the word often I feel the need to explain why and the reason behind the usage for me.
☆Keep in mind these are my thoughts and do not depict others ideas or thoughts but my own.
I have seen arguments such as, "You don't call someone with Cancer a Cancer'er. Why call a Cystic Fibrosis patient a CFer?"
•First off Canc'er' already has the er. They are also known as either a survivor or a fighter.
Sorry, but we as Cystic's, also an unliked term, are not survivors. Yes, we are fighters, but sadly have not survived anything as of yet. Until a cure is actually found or they can cut CF out of us or they somehow change our gene mutations we have not survived anything. We are not going to be CF free as those Cancer Survivors, are now thankfully cancer free.
Another argument, "Adding an ER doesn't make sense to me." Let me break it down.
•Nouns ending in -er
☆This ending is the most common. It's usually added to verbs to make nouns with the meaning ‘a person or thing that does something’, for example: builder, farmer, sprinkler, or beeper. The -er ending can also be used to form nouns meaning: ‘a person belonging to a particular place or group’, e.g. foreigner, biker, or racer. ☆
•Nouns ending in -er
☆This ending is the most common. It's usually added to verbs to make nouns with the meaning ‘a person or thing that does something’, for example: builder, farmer, sprinkler, or beeper. The -er ending can also be used to form nouns meaning: ‘a person belonging to a particular place or group’, e.g. foreigner, biker, or racer. ☆
We as a community or a group if you will, fall under that category. CF is simply short hand for Cystic Fibrosis, which we all know. Adding the "er" makes the statement that we are a community of people with a bond no one can ever have with us, but with one another.
It isn't a title or a branding on any of us by saying "CFer's". It doesn't take away from any of your accomplishments or who you are outside of being a CF patient. To me saying CFer or Cystic is simply more personal to say than the formal version, Cystic Fibrosis Patient. I feel like that is too technical and robot like.
Last argument is that the "er" is supposed to represent the word "sufferer". I disagree with this 100%. I don't believe that any of us are sufferers of our disease. I believe we are fighters and making strides even if it hurts and is a bumpy road.
☆We are amazing, women and men, CF is only part of you not all of you. How you interpret things is all on you, but if it is always in a negative light and always being offended in someway it will only make this journey harder for you in the long run.
Focus on the good things and not on such a silly thing like a word grouping all CF patients together as a group. A strong, beautiful, amazing, and inspirational group of people.
It also isn't saying you are the disease first and you second. I'm not sure where that idea came from either. When speaking about a wide group of people we are all grouped by a phrase or word, no matter who that group may be. There is really no other way of addressing a large group without using the titles we have at hand.
To say that a simple short hand version of your disease is insulting is absurd to me. I am sorry if you disagree, but hopefully this blog may have helped to understand it a little more as to why it is used.
Lets all just be mutants and form the new X-Men,
Sandi
Sandi
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