During October 2001, my mom, Ann, was busy enjoying life when she developed a peculiar cough that never improved, regardless of the medication or treatment she tried. She was extremely active in her church, traveling, and spending time with her children and grandchildren, whom she loved deeply. After numerous visits to her primary physician, she was referred to a pulmonary specialist due to an abnormal finding in her bloodwork and CT scan.
She was diagnosed with stage 2 non-small cell lung cancer, which required a lobectomy of her left lung in April. No chemotherapy or radiation was required after the surgery. A year later, in April 2003, the cancer spread to her right lung.
Multiple bouts of chemotherapy were administered; however, the prognosis was devastating. I was overcome with emotions at the thought of losing someone so dear to me, whom I loved deeply. Often, the medication prescribed by her oncologist was substituted with generic drugs due to the high cost and lack of research. There were also times when the generic drugs were not as effective as the prescribed ones.
From October 2001 through August 2004 when my mother lost her battle with lung cancer despite having Medicare insurance along with supplemental insurance, my mother faced numerous challenges accessing the best treatments. Early detection technology, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, could have saved my mother’s life.
I hope to educate others about the process in the event of a cancer diagnosis and encourage voters to support politicians who fight for Medicaid.
