another battle with cancer

Steve Prestwich of Cold Chisel died after a 2 week battle with cancer.

Why is it that cancer is always a battle.

It implies that if you didn't battle then you were some sort of weakling.

Cancer kills people and whether you "battle" or not or have masses praying for you or not, you die if it is severe or survive for a while or succumb eventually.

I am disgusted that emphasis is placed on those that survive as somehow being "stronger" than those that don't.