What Choice? A Story to Challenge a Slogan.
Five years ago, I had a life saving operation. I was born with Barrett’s Oesophagus (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/barretts-esophagus/symptoms-causes/syc-20352841) inherited through my genes from my father. My Dad died of Oesophagus cancer 25 years ago.
In 1999, there was not much could be done about Barretts. Surgery or chemo were the only options and I watched my dad suffer though his surgery and attempted recovery over 12 months and it was most unpleasant.
I learned about this at the same time my Dad was dying, that I too had forms of this condition and was looking at a similar prognosis. Barrett’s progresses in stages 1 to 5 and, at stage 5 there is not much one can do.
Recently, the well-known ABC host James Valentine took the option of Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) after his battle with Barrett’s (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-05-29/james-valentine-public-memorial-sydney-friends-listeners/106737458). James had also sought help from a very creative surgeon Professor Michael Bourke (https://www.phgastro.sydney/specialists/professor-michael-bourke/). Prof. Bourke is world-renowned for his experimental work in gastrointestinal endoscopy. My brother Graham who knew James well, gave a eulogy at his funeral broadcast live on the ABC.
Five years ago, about twenty years after my dad died, I was having one of my usual check-ups where my specialist said my Barrett’s was at stage 5. However, my specialist said he had heard of some experimental work being done by Prof. Bourke in Sydney and would I like to take part. There were no guarantees about this laser surgery and because it was experimental it was free. I jumped at the chance. There’s no learning without risk.
So, I put my life in the hands of Prof. Bourke and had a series of laser operations over a 12-month period. Each time you have the surgery you can’t eat for days and the discomfort in the throat is intense. Maximum harm to create wellness. Eating jelly and drinking juice for a week or so is a small price to pay.
Each time I went in to surgery I could see the collection of surgeons from all over the world, coming to learn from Prof. Bourke. I was introduced to some of them before I was knocked out. And that was an experience as well. The specialist who did the anaesthetic was also a expert in this special operation and he asked me if I like alcoholic drinks. I said yes. So, as I was injected with three different substances, he described each one as different alcoholic drink. A funny moment in the midst of a leap of faith. He called it entering ‘twilight’ (my tawney port).
After the third operation as I was coming out of anaesthetic I was greeted by Prof. Bourke, who was such a warm and caring man. He held my hand, handed me a piece of paper with scan pictures and stated, ‘it’s all gone’. Wow, it’s hard to describe that moment. Just as it is hard to describe any special moment to another who has not experienced such a feeling. I don’t think I have ever had such a hand held in my life. There is no way to explain the exuberance of him holding my hand. Such a simple gesture.
The strange thing is, I had no idea what I was looking at, other than scans of my throat but I had no expertise or language to describe what I was seeing or had just experienced. You can see below, that memorable piece of paper.
What is the point of this story? Several things:
First is, we have little choice about what harm comes our way. Sometimes it has nothing to do with us. The slogan ‘safety is a choice you make’ is a dangerous and debilitating slogan, just as are all safety slogans.
When you are being rolled into a surgery, taking a leap of faith, the last you want to hear is some meaningless slogan uttered by people with no expertise, who want to feel superior to others in the face of harm.
The second thing is, there is no zero harm. Everything about this story is about risk and harm. If one doesn’t take the experimental risk and experience the harm of that risk, there is no chance of its benefit either.
Third, you know in these moments that you have no expertise in what you are experiencing. It’s all about trust, hope and faith. The last thing an expert in gastrointestinal endoscopy needs to hear is some cooked up opinion about what you don’t know. Ballantyne calls this epistemic trespass (https://safetyrisk.net/epistemic-trespassing-and-safety/), a common safety practice.
To conclude this story, the most important thing is to take note that, slogans are toxic propaganda. Slogans like ‘safety is a choice you make’ are self-serving nonsense (https://safetyrisk.net/safety-is-not-just-a-choice/ ). Slogans rarely serve any meaningful purpose but rather are used to discriminate against a group through deception and mis-truth.
If you want to best help, serve and care for others in the risks they take, dump the slogans (https://safetyrisk.net/slogans-and-principles-its-just-semantics-right/) and don’t talk nonsense to people (https://safetyrisk.net/safety-experts-in-speaking-nonsense-to-people/).
BTW, Prof. Bourke actually saves lives, but you never hear him speak such language.
Prof. Robert Long
Latest posts by Prof. Robert Long (see all)
- Embouchure, Affordance and Learning in Risk - September 8, 2026
- Following-Leading in Risk, Supplement. Free Download - September 7, 2026
- Safety Culture and the Culture of Safety - September 6, 2026
- Safety, Creating Order Out of Disorder - September 4, 2026
- The Meaning of Risk - September 4, 2026