Why would someone lie about having cancer?

Basically, a few months ago a girl in my year lied she had cancer for months and months, and said things like 'They know I had cancer because they did a scan on my foot', and that she had 'five years to live.'
Her friends found out that she was lying, and understandably didn't want to speak to her at all because they had all been really worried about her when she told them she was going to die!
She joined my group of friends afterwards because all her other friends hated her, and only a few of us knew that she actually lied.
Now she's going out with one of my best friends, and he doesn't seem to even care about the fact she lied she had cancer for months- his grandma died of cancer, and he doesn't care, and says that she's sorry and she should be forgiven :/
I just know she's going to lie again, people like that don't change.
why would someone lie about something so important?

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Reply 1

Poo_Inc

although I think the nature of this lie is very insentitive I do think she should be forgiven (that's if she is truly sorry), I mean, she's probably just an attention seeker and felt the need to lie about something this dramatic just so all eyes can be on her.

It's really up to your circle of friends if they want to forgive her or not. Of course if you refuse you would end up being the "difficult" one who takes things too serious in the group and you don't want that do you?

That is so wrong.

attention.

Agreed. Attention-seeking. A friend of mine did something similar back in school - cancelled on me at the last minute for my birthday celebrations, saying that her father had died (she'd been saying that he'd had cancer for a few years). She was off school the next day, and her younger brother was in. I went to him to offer my condolences, and he looked at me like I was crazy.

Reply 5

ciara

I had exactly the same at school, except it was one of my group of friends. The lie went on for years and she made up more lies to cover it up...e.g. when things came to a head and the youth group she was at phoned her parents who told them it was all rubbish she decided to tell people that her parents abused her! It never got properly resolved and tore friendships apart (my boyfriend and I openly said she was lying, and she was engaged to my boyfriend's best friend at the time).

She must've had something wrong in the head, but I have to say broke contact with her and could never be friends with her again. I don't blame you for being cautious and worrying about your best friend being with her. Lying about something like that is really evil. I suppose in your case the lie didn't go on for as long, but still...a sign of mental instability, at best. Still, don't let yourself become a victim of her lies - don't keep going on about how she's not to be trusted. Feel free to not trust her yourself, but allow others to make their own mistakes. Otherwise you could be faced with a situation where you are painted as the mean, bitter one while she has been allowed to move on with her life.

Reply 6

Anonymous #2

Reality will hit her one day. Selfish cow.

Reply 7

smellslikemarmite

cpj1987

Your friend sounds like an idiot. How did she think that you weren't going to find out?!

OP she is attention-seeking and will probably always be like that.

Reply 8

cpj1987

smellslikemarmite

Your friend sounds like an idiot. How did she think that you weren't going to find out?!

OP she is attention-seeking and will probably always be like that.

I think, like the friend of the OP, she simply wasn't in her right state of mind at all. We'd thought she was lying all along, but she became incredibly convincing when she said her father had 'died', and I decided it was best not to ignore her brother just in case!

Reply 9

RightSaidJames

Give her the benefit of the doubt for the moment, it sounds like she's sorry for what she did and it's not like she'd try the same thing again in a hurry.

Reply 10

Tefhel

You warned your friend and that's really all you can do. If your friend ignores your warnings then he probably deserves what ever that lying cow does to him. (And yes, people like that generally don't change - I've seen from experience that some people just lie all the time. It must be some sort of mental disorder).

Reply 11

hannahgreen114

attention seeking.
a girl at my school said her mom had months to live because she had breast cancer, 3 years later she is still alive and never had cancer. she was the biggest attention seeker ever.
Some people think that if they get attention by making people feel sorry for them helps them gain friends, hint - it does not.
But if she is truely sorry and lost her friends as a result of it, maybe she should be given the benefit of the doubt.
And as for your best friend, its up to him isnt it. Its good that you are concered for him but if he likes her he likes her, what can you do except let them be.

Reply 12

username211340

Karma will be a bitch if she gets it later on.

Reply 13

emmers

The girl most likely has some mental issues or was craving attention - a boy I know who was obsesed with my friend told her he had a brain tumour so she would go out with him and when everyone found out he was lying he lost any credibility he had

Is she blonde?

An old friend of mine did that too. It was for attention. All her friends have forgiven her though, but I don't know if I can trust her anymore!

Reply 16

gcampb

People always deserve a second chance.
She probably lied because she wanted the attention, who knows.

Reply 17

Hibz123

What she did was incredibly wrong and most likely did it for attention.

Reply 18

Anonymous #1

OK.
I've decided to properly forgive her, and I've realised I've been really petty about this. Yes, she did it, but she does seem to be sorry now and everyone deserves a second chance.
However, I hope she doesn't lie like that again. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt though.