Cancer treatment too expensive?

Dear Doc,

I was listening to the news about the very high cost of treating cancer. It looks like only persons who have good medical insurance or are rich can afford to have cancer. The poor once again suffer. What a country!!{{more}}

Concerned

Dear Concerned,

What a world!!! The truth is that cancer treatment is expensive, even if the entire country shared the cost or persons do it individually. Someone has to pay for it and is true that persons with available finance and insurance have an advantage.

What must be remembered, though, is that PREVENTION of cancer, along with early detection and management, does not really cost much financially when compared to treatment of advanced cancers. Rich or poor can do much more in the fight against cancer. Too often persons who are diagnosed with common cancers had history of: smoking, excessive sun exposure, refusal to wear protective gear, refusal to do annual health assessments et cetera.

It is not unusual to have a scenario whereby family members are seeking financial help to aid another member to treat cancer and they themselves have NEVER done routine medical assessments of their own health. Effort and resources extended to cancer prevention and early diagnosis will always be more economical than treating well-established cancers.

It is not a rich or poor thing. It is a people thing!!

Doc

SVG Cancer Society,

P.O. Box 709, Kingstown.

Email: svgsocietycancer@gmail.com

Phone:526-7036