Senate offered early gift to cancer patients, families

Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010

As a caregiver for my mom who is a breast cancer survivor, I am happy that the Senate passed its health care reform legislation before the Christmas holiday. It was an early gift for cancer patients, survivors and their families, who are closer than ever to reaping the benefits of historic legislation that will dramatically improve the health care system in this country.

The experiences of families affected by cancer highlight the major problems in our health care system. On the often difficult and complex road that begins with a diagnosis, cancer patients can encounter all of the major problems in the health care system today. They are often denied coverage because of pre-existing condition exclusions or charged more than they can afford for critical care simply because they have cancer.

If enacted, this bill could have immediate and lasting benefits for millions of people with cancer and other life-threatening chronic diseases. Getting a cancer diagnosis would no longer put families at risk of being denied or getting priced out of lifesaving coverage.

This is a critical point in the war against cancer. And I would like to thank Sen. Barbara Mikulski and Sen. Ben Cardin for putting patients before politics by voting in favor of this lifesaving bill. Thank you, senators, for standing up for cancer patients like my mom and helping them have more birthdays.

Sarah Dudley, Hollywood

The writer is an American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network volunteer – junior ambassador.