Today – How Much Was It Worth?

A recent news item reported on a study that examines the cost of treating elderly lung cancer patients and the associated increase in life expectancy.

As I read the news item, this part really jumped out at me:

The cost-effectiveness ratio (the cost of treatment to an additional year of life) was $143,614 for localized lung cancer (a cancer that is confined to one area of the lung), $145,861 for regional cancer (a cancer that has spread within the lung but is contained within it) and $1.2 million for metastatic cancer.

Now if I’m reading that correctly, they are saying that if you are an elderly person with lung cancer, it costs between $143,614 and $1.2 million to keep you alive for one additional year! If we average that out, that works out to be:

$496,491.67 per year of life

$41,374.31 per month

$10,343.58 per week

$1,477.65 per day.

Have you ever thought about your life in terms of a “cost-effectiveness ratio”? Let’s take today for instance. What kind of day are you having?

• Good?
• Bad?
• Average?

Would you have paid $1,477.65 for today?

I’ll bet that your answer to that question depends a lot on whether you are fit and healthy or whether you have metastatic cancer.

So here’s my suggestion: If you wake up tomorrow: live the day as though you had to pay someone $1,477.65 for the privilege. (And if you feel the need to actually pay someone… I accept cheques or PayPal!)

ENJOY NOW!