If it wasn’t for how personally the topic of health care and cancer strike me, this would be a perfect “I told you so!” moment to hang over the heads of people who feel the government has a responsibility to regulate the health care system.
Women in across the pond are being denied potential life saving breast cancer surgeries based on their age — or at least that what research is starting to show. From the source:
Elderly women are being denied life-saving breast cancer surgery that is routinely given to younger patients, alarming research reveals.
Some doctors look at a patient’s age in their notes – and decide on a treatment plan before they have even met them, experts warn.
Their study, which provides evidence of ageism in the Health Service, found that 90 per cent of breast cancer patients aged 30-50 are offered surgery to remove tumours, compared with 70 per cent of those in their seventies.
Even women in their 50s are less likely than younger patients to have an operation.
Cancer specialist Dr Mick Peake said: ‘I’ve seen evidence of ageism when doctors are approaching the issue. Some take age as disproportionate evidence, often when they’ve never even met the patient.
Granted, there are other things to take into consideration when dealing with cancer treatments and a seasoned citizenship — perhaps surgery isn’t the best option? — but the fact of the matter remains the choice is being taken away from these people. They aren’t even given this treatment option any more.
5 years ago when I was first diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, my oncologist gave me the best bit of advice regarding health I’ve ever gotten: “Nobody is responsible for your health but you.” It is up to the individual to be educated, make decisions, and pursue treatment(s) as they see fit. When the government steps in and begins regulating what options are available for the populous, they take away your ability to act responsibly.
While I’m on my soap box, I’ll add something else to this vociferation:
Socialized health care stands a very real change of getting off the ground here in the US. Despite the outcry of the people, the United States Government seems intent on doing whatever it feels like, and have been trying for decades to roll out a Universal Health Care plan it seems they might have their day in the sun. I don’t understand how this plan’s supporters can take an honest look at what’s happened to each and every nation with socialized medicine and still think it’s a good idea to create the destructive policies here in the USA. How much of an ego do we have to have to think that because we’re the ones doing now, “this time it will be different“.
I’m putting a lot of hope in the 2012 elections…
