Martin Meenagh blog

Jade Goody I've blogged about Jade Goody before , and can only wish her the miracle she seems to be praying for. Her behaviour over the past few weeks, and in particular her human dignity, has been heartbreaking. I don't know the woman, and millions die every day, but she seems to have touched a real chord. I have also noticed women young and old who seem more aware of cancer, less frightened, and more determined to do something preventative about it here in London, in overheard conversations and chats with friends. I agree with Martin Kelly ; the behaviour of this former dental technician demonised by the media currently pretending to care in the past, in unwittingly inspiring those other women, and in the manner of her defiance of illness, has been heroic. God bless her. I just wanted to record that here.

Tales of three women Jade Goody acquired notoriety because the media class thought her a caricature of the white working class. She corresponded to their stereotypes, and was eventually the subject of a battering as they turned on her for 'racism'. She is now displaying a great deal of dignity in a battle against cancer, which she is waging for herself and her two children. I was, for what it is worth, very struck by her story. I've known dozens of ordinary, unmemorialised people who died from cancer, which is a horrible disease, or who faced it down and won. The quiet heroism of everyday life has to be seen to be believed really, and I hope that Miss Goody can draw attention to it. Most of all, I hope that she survives. Very, very far away from Ms Goody, in Pakistan, lived Shabana . Like Ms Rezayee in Afghanistan before her, she loved to dance, and lived for music. She was not as young as others, but she was a mistress of her craft. Like Ms Rezayee, she was murdered by T...