Unfortunately these things are all inextricably linked. We can put all of the dots in, but you can’t see the big picture until you start drawing in the lines.
The percentage of POC lacking health coverage is higher than the rest of the country. Black Americans also die at a higher rate when it comes to the big C. Pre existing conditions aren’t always diagnosed often because of lack of coverage. Legislation is created or modified in an effort to combat things like cancer. Whether it’s laws about smoking, regulations to protect workers at higher risk, environmental factors such as cancer causing pollutants getting into our drinking water, or consumer protection from cancer causing additives in our food etc. , politics plays a huge role.
When it comes to COVID-19, we know that pre existing conditions are linked to higher rates of mortality. My mom lived with cancer for ten years before it finally got her. If I can lower the risk today for people with the minor inconvenience of wearing a mask and social distancing, then thats what I’m going to do, even if it’s a small percentage. If my mom died in the first year vs the ten years, my sister would have been 7 when she lost her mom and my brother and I would have been 13 and 15. We were fortunate to get those years with her and we’re all better for it. Nothing can prepare anyone for losing a parent, but the impact on a young child is likely more devastating. My dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in late 2016 and four months later was gone. I’m still feeling the effects of that 3 years later. Cancer sucks.
Humankind will continue to walk and chew gum at the same time. Life is not only complicated, it’s an unsolvable mystery. We’re all in this together. Knowing that, we need to start working together. If we really want to save people from succumbing to the monster that is cancer, the first step is getting every person health coverage. Get at it early and the chances of survival are higher. Hopefully an effective cure comes along soon.
