'The Whole Pantry' App Developer Admits Faking Cancer to Boost Sales

[Boatboy24]

" Gibson may suffer from Factitious Disorder, whose sufferers feign illnesses and disease to gain a wider audience and recognition."

come on now.

Seriously. I love this. Everything today is because of some disorder or disease. Nobody ever does something stupid or hurtful because they wanted to.

 

[Robert.Walter]

"Factitious Disorder", in this case, a nice clinical term for pathological liar.

And this person is arrogant enough to demand people flip and give her respect? I'd almost call that sociopathic.

I wonder what damage she caused to people suffering from cancers who delayed treatment in order to try the b.s. she was shoveling. (And is still shoveling.)

Exposed charlatans and frauds preying on the weak belong in prison.

Somebody should introduce her to Lance Armstrong, they seem made for each other.

 

[2457282]

Okay, she has mental issues and lied... Profiting from false claims, is that a crime in AU?

Where's the money that was supposed to be donated? Isn't that a crime?

Does anyone know what % was supposed to be donated?

I can't believe her smug, "can't we all just get along" attitude

I don't know this woman or what "condition" she may or may not have. But I have to agree that there was a bit smugness to her. "okay, I stole, so like now I have confessed, let's get over it and treat me nice." Clearly still needs more work.

 

[Kissaragi]

If she has a mental illness then she should be spending a long time a secure mental health ward. Otherwise it should be a nice long prison sentence.

She will have indirectly killed people by saying they can cure them selves by health eating alone. Its not just about defrauding money.

 

[mscriv]

Just some info...

Factitious Disorders

Factitious Disorder is a mental disorder in which a person acts as if he or she has a physical or mental illness when, in fact, he or she has consciously created their symptoms. The name factitious comes from the Latin word for "artificial."

People with Factitious Disorder deliberately create or exaggerate symptoms of an illness in several ways. They may lie about or mimic symptoms, hurt themselves to bring on symptoms, or alter diagnostic tests (such as contaminating a urine sample).Those with Factitious Disorders have an inner need to be seen as ill or injured, but not to achieve a concrete benefit, such as a financial gain. Individuals with Factitious Disorder are even willing to undergo painful or risky tests and operations in order to obtain the sympathy and special attention given to people who are truly ill. Factitious Disorder is considered a mental illness because it is associated with severe emotional difficulties.

It would seem the bolded part above could potentially disqualify her from meeting criteria for this diagnosis. We truly don't have enough information at this point to make a valid decision. Has she been undergoing cancer treatment and manufacturinging symptoms? If so, for how long and what is the timeline between her onset and treatment in relation to her business and app development?

One of two things is true, she's either really mentally ill and her mental struggles pushed her in the direction of business and app creation or selfishness and greed pushed her in the direction of using falsehood for her personal and financial gain.

 

[Westside guy]

Hey everyone! Pad your resumes! And, if you get caught, just plead "Factitious Disorder"!

 

[darkslide29]

" Gibson may suffer from Factitious Disorder, whose sufferers feign illnesses and disease to gain a wider audience and recognition."

come on now.

I want an app available that gives me a list of disorders and illnesses to get me off the hook of whatever I have done wrong. Although this one seems like it will cover quite a bit!

 

[Solomani]

An attractive Australian gal.

She won't spend a single day in jail, you silly birds. LOL

 

[26139]

C'mon...

" Gibson may suffer from Factitious Disorder, whose sufferers feign illnesses and disease to gain a wider audience and recognition."

come on now.

We can't just invent disorders every time someone lies or is an *******.

 

[APlotdevice]

The most upsetting thing about her claims is that it could have convinced people who actually have cancer to forgo proper treatment.

 

[mazz0]

Had the same thought. There's apparently some medical reason you can fall back on to explain anything you don't want to take personal responsibility for. Maybe I'm wrong, but I always thought people were more honourable when I was a kid.

You're probably wrong.

 

[kupkakez]

People like this are disgusting. The only "disorder" she has is that she's a liar and a sick-o.

Now she's going to get cancer for real and no one will care. Beeeyotch.

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I want an app available that gives me a list of disorders and illnesses to get me off the hook of whatever I have done wrong. Although this one seems like it will cover quite a bit!

Yes. I don't feel like being at work today what disorder might I have so I can go home.

 

[macduke]

As someone who recently found out that a person close to me is a pathological liar and has fabricated nearly every detail of their existence (fake wife, fake company, the works), I think this woman is a bitch and deserves the backlash. You can't do this stuff to people. You can't toy with their emotions. How can these people look their fellow colleagues and friends in the face every day and lie like this? What a monster. They have no empathy, no ability to care for anyone but themselves and they lie and cheat and do whatever it takes to further their own selfish motives. Time to crawl back into the hole whence you came, Belle Gibson.

 

[GeneralChang]

"Factitious Disorder" is a really terrible name.

I just checked, and yes, there is a disorder of that name, yes, it is (roughly) what is described in the article, and yes, it's well documented and researched in academic journals (though there does seem to be some trouble with diagnosing it reliably, go figure).

But seriously, psychology... pick a name that at least doesn't SOUND like a totally fake and made up disorder. Like, use a Latin word that corresponds approximately to the meaning of factitious. Something.

 

[mazz0]

It's not her fault she lied, guys.
It's the governments, or FOX news, or men in general. She had no choice but to make an app and fake cancer. Her back was against the wall, guys.

It takes time to figure out which reality is really your reality when it's real it just almost really real and in the meantime just create an app for that

Did she actually say it was "men in general"'s fault, or are you attempting to make this the next GamerGate - ie taking a supposedly legitimate issue (debatable in the case of GamerGate) and turning it into an outlet for misogyny?

 

[26139]

Huh?

Did she actually say it was "men in general"'s fault, or are you attempting to make this the next GamerGate - ie taking a supposedly legitimate issue (debatable in the case of GamerGate) and turning it into an outlet for misogyny?

Uh, out of everything the commenter shared, you picked the most absurd mention and managed to bring up another hurtful topic?

He/she was pretty obviously kidding.

 

[PittAir]

The most upsetting thing about her claims is that it could have convinced people who actually have cancer to forgo proper treatment.

This, far and away, is the worst and most egregious part of this whole sickening thing.

Making an app to con people out of money is one thing. Convincing people to forego cancer therapy because your diet "cured" your fake brain cancer is quite another.

I'm in the cancer field (in fact I am between patients right now), and this disturbs me terribly.

 

[mazz0]

Jesus guys, can we lay off the hate and name calling? Yes, based on what we know it appears she's done something disgusting, but starting up an online hate mob just makes the world worse, not better.

Furthermore, we don't even know all the facts, we only know what's been reported in the media (please note this is a supplementary point - I stand by my previous sentence even if the true facts are exactly as they appear).

Also, throwing in gender specific name calling like "bitch" makes it even worse. Makes one seriously question whether you'd behave the same way if the person involved was a man.

----------

Uh, out of everything the commenter shared, you picked the most absurd mention and managed to bring up another hurtful topic?

He/she was pretty obviously kidding.

How so? There was, as far as I can see, no reason at all that the idea of it being an issue of gender should have occurred to him/her (him, I assume), so it speaks to the commenter's mindset.

And yeah, it was the absurd bit I was taking issue with, why wouldn't I pick up on that?

 

[chocolaterabbit]

Wonder if Rocketman feels a bit silly defending her now

 

[wiz329]

An apology that doesn't answer for the money going where its supposed to go, that answers the questions we already had the answer for (and proof of), and then goes on to explain about how the situation is all about the

LYING, THIEVING, VICTIMIZING

individual. Poor her...

Yeah, that works.

When the money is where it should be, when she pays for the lives she wrecked with bullsheite, and doesn't make it a pity me trip... then it MIGHT qualify as an actual apology. No, I won't treat you with respect until these things are done, AT MINIMUM. You screwed up, and you need to EARN respect back. No, it is NOT a given.

Ok....
As much as I agree she is a pretty scummy human being, exactly whose lives did she wreck? Seriously?

 

[OtherJesus]

Did she actually say it was "men in general"'s fault, or are you attempting to make this the next GamerGate - ie taking a supposedly legitimate issue (debatable in the case of GamerGate) and turning it into an outlet for misogyny?

I don't think she actually said anything I said.
Or did you miss that part?

 

[PittAir]

Ok....
As much as I agree she is a pretty scummy human being, exactly whose lives did she wreck? Seriously?

All it would take is one patient with a curable cancer who did poorly and died based on her diet "curing" her cancer, right?

 

[bevsb2]

I can't get beyond wondering why anyone would claim to have brain cancer when they don't. On an intellectual level I know that lying about something like that doesn't cause it to happen, but it's not a chance I would take. She should be treated like any other criminal who steals.

 

[Arran]

http://www.theage.com.au/it-pro/exp...triumph-with-apple-watch-20140913-10g0mp.html

Here's an extract from the story above:

The 25-year-old Melbourne mother was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer back in 2009 when she was given three months to live. Shortly after, she gave up on chemotherapy and radiation therapy and chose to change her diet and lifestyle.

Did her lies give genuine cancer sufferers false hope about the efficacy of "alternative remedies"? Makes you wonder about this...

Late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs delayed conventional treatment for nine months when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, preferring to use alternative remedies. He died in October 2011. The subject is close to Apple's heart.

Edit: Never mind. I see we've covered it.

 

[Wondercow]

But seriously, psychology... pick a name that at least doesn't SOUND like a totally fake and made up disorder. Like, use a Latin word that corresponds approximately to the meaning of factitious. Something.

It's funny because that is the Latin word (facticius), adjusted slightly for English spelling