Blood cancer cells, image by LightspringOPINION – The numbers California is experiencing in blood cancers are extremely concerning, and unfortunately, the American Cancer Society (ACS) predicts these numbers will get worse. In fact, the ACS forecasts that California will be the leading state for lymphoma, Leukemia and myeloma-related deaths in 2023.
Health care delays, image by LightspringOPINION – Long plagued by racism and discrimination, communities of color lag on many healthcare measures. Unfortunately, some insurance companies are erecting extraordinary barriers that will actually delay necessary treatment for patients — and exacerbate inequities.
Patient advocate image by d.ee_angeloOPINION – The Whole Child Model seeks to address the entire body of needs that affect a child’s well-being.
Image by Rawpixel via ShutterstockAccess to a safe and consistent place to exercise can help improve the health and well-being of countless Californians.
An elderly ill patient receives care from a nurse. (Photo: Ocskay Mark, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Six years ago, I joined terminally ill Californians to pass a law that would provide them the option to die gently when they can no longer tolerate their suffering. This is personal to me: I watched my mother’s lengthy suffering when she died from cancer. People often thank me and share their stories why the End of Life Option Act is important to them.
A young cancer patient stares out a hospital window. (Photo: Solid photos, via Shutterstock)OPINION: In the many years we have been treating patients, the hardest conversations to get through were always revealing a person’s cancer diagnosis to them for the first time. But like everything else in our world today—that has changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo illustration of medical equipment. (Image: ESB Professional, via Shutterstock)OPINION: My insurance company has entirely ignored my doctors’ medical expertise and flatly refused to pay for the physician-prescribed treatment. I’ve learned that my plight is not unique, that there is a systematic failure to hold insurers accountable for unfair delays and inappropriate denials of recommended cancer care. California’s insurance commissioner, Dave Jones, can fix this.
Spraying crops with an herbicide to prevent crop losses to pests. (Photo: pfalztv, via Shutterstock)California is deciding whether to add a popular herbicide’s ingredient to the list of officially recognized cancer-causing compounds — a move that has run into a legal road block. At issue is glyphosate, a prime ingredient in the Monsanto Company’s herbicide Roundup.
A young cancer patient sits by a hospital window. (Photo: Sasa Prudkov)OPINION: It’s pretty rare nowadays to meet someone whose life hasn’t been affected by some variety of cancer. Whether you’ve been diagnosed yourself or know someone who has, the impacts can be devastating.
A tiny sampling of the books on Greg Schmidt's home shelves.The California State Library is setting up a special collection in honor of Gregory Schmidt, the long-time ranking Senate staffer who died of cancer at the age of 69. State Librarian Greg Lucas said in an email that the Greg Schmidt Collection on Political Leadership will include “any number of books, articles, movies, podcasts, lectures and case studies besides those in Greg’s personal library that inform today’s political leaders.”