The Current How a bear attack story helped this author understand her cancer diagnosis
Nov 11, 2025
Claire Cameron, an award-winning author fascinated by bears and wilderness, shares how a bear attack story shaped her understanding of her cancer diagnosis. She reflects on her obsession with bears since her teens, her personal journey through melanoma, and how facing mortality led her to confront her fears. The conversation delves into the intelligence of bears, her creative block after surgery, and the narrative shift towards understanding the bear's perspective. Ultimately, Claire emphasizes choosing life over fear and redefining her relationship with nature.
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Campfire Origin Of The Bates Island Obsession
- Claire first heard the Bates Island bear-attack story while working at a summer camp in Algonquin Park and treated it like a ghost story around the campfire.
- She absorbed fragmentary details (a broken paddle, an uneaten tray of ground beef) that later fed her imagination and fiction.
The Apple-Box Moment That Sparked Bear Love
- Claire describes a vivid encounter while tree planting where a small bear inspected and ate apples with dexterous, almost human movements.
- That transfixed moment sealed her long-term fascination and affection for bears.
Cancer Diagnosis Echoing Her Father's Death
- Claire discovered a black spot on her shoulder and learned she had multiple melanomas linked to genetics, echoing her father's fatal melanoma.
- The diagnosis forced her to confront a feared family fate and rethink her future with young children.
