For Kids Like Me, Cancer Is Hard Enough

When I was a kid, I fell asleep in school a lot. The teachers didn’t scold me, and they kept the other kids from pointing and laughing. Because I wasn’t just tired  —  I was exhausted. I was drained. I was going through chemo. When I was 7, I was diagnosed with Burkitt’s lymphoma, an aggressive cancer. The doctors at Boston Children’s Hospital gave me two months to live. I spent four years in and out of aggressive treatments, missing second and third grade, fighting for my life when I should’ve been playing hockey. But slowly, I recovered. My community stood by my family, and my dad’s union insurance made it possible for us to afford costly treatment. By the time I was a teenager, some of my friends didn’t even know I had been sick.     I can’t imagine what would’ve happened if my family didn’t have insurance. My treatment would’ve bankrupted us. Cancer is hard enough on a family. Imagine having to choose between saving your child and staying in your house? Or saving your child and selling the car you use to get to work? I can’t imagine what would’ve happened if my family didn’t have insurance. My treatment would’ve bankrupted us. The health care bill that’s racing through the Senate right now is designed to do just that — make cash-strapped families pay for situations beyond their control, and put the savings toward tax cuts for the ultra-rich. This bill w...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news