I am a 30-year-old woman who has seen cancer develop in both sides of my family – from breast cancer, to prostate, to lymphoma and others. It has taken the lives of three loving family members, and my aunt is fighting it right now.
My concern is for not only her well being but the medication and chemotherapy costs that she has to endure every two weeks. Since she is the only one working in a house of four, the bills do nothing but pile up. She is on the verge of losing her house and will have to claim bankruptcy because all her money goes to medical costs.
It has been said that a person needs a strong will and positive attitude to help win the cancer battle. How is a person going to win while worrying about all of these costs? I’ve seen my loved ones go through this and I’ve experienced their pain. I’ve watched them get so weak from the chemo that they no longer feel like a person. Then I think of all the families and individuals going through this.
Finding a cure for cancer is one of the most important issues out there. We also need to find ways to cut medical costs on treatments and medication for individuals with cancer. The out-of-pocket expenses add up, and depending on how long treatment lasts, some insurance stops covering the costs because you’ve reached their maximum coverage limit. Suffering individuals and their families need more support than that. I do believe that someday there will be a cure. Until then, if we don’t help the individuals and families living with cancer, people like my aunt will always deal with the burden of outrageous medical bills. How will that help ease their pain?
Tonia Taylor
Arlington
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