previvor

[Garson O'Toole]

Thanks to Jon for posting about previvor, an interesting word that I
had never heard before.

Larry Horn posted to the ADS list in 2007 and suggested previvor as a
WOTY candidate.

http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0709C&L=ADS-L&P=R3750

Paul McFedries WordSpy website has previvor with an earliest cite in
2002 August 16.

previvo: (pree.VY.vur) n. A person who does not have cancer, but who
has either precancerous cells or a genetic mutation known to cause
cancer. Also: pre-vivor. [Blend of pre- and survivor.]

Earliest Citation (WordSpy):
At the beginning of this ordeal — when Friedman's doctor told her she
had "precancer," the earliest stages of the disease — she began
looking for support groups. ... Friedman calls her target audience
"previvors;" they don't have cancer, but there's a strong chance they
might. "It's a very isolating thing because at this point there aren't
a lot of women out there who have been tested" for cancer genes,
Friedman said.
—Adam Marcus, "Creating a Force for Cancer 'Previvors'," Ethnic
Newswatch, August 16, 2002

http://www.wordspy.com/words/previvor.asp

Google Books has a volume titled "The Pink Magnolia Club" with a GB
date 2002. ( I have not checked this on paper and it might be bogus.)

The Pink Magnolia Club - Page 370
Geralyn Dawson - 2002 - 384 pages - Preview
My thanks to the women of the Yahoo Breast Cancer Club, who patiently
answered my questions and offered such valuable insight, and also to
Susan Friedman and the “previvors” of FORCE, ...

http://books.google.com/books?id=8o7o7yAat9oC&

The reference to a person named Susan Friedman matches with the name
in the WordSpy citation. It is possible that Susan Friedman coined the
term or she may have information that leads to an earlier citation.
Also there may be earlier cites within the Yahoo Group archive for the
support group.

Garson

Jonathan Lighter wrote
> Subject:      previvor
>
> 7000+ RGs.  Check it out.
> JL

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