Life, Liberty, and Cancer Treatment
One of the most inspirational days of my life occurred last week as I visited the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island at the mouth of the Hudson River. I was consumed with thoughts about the thousands of immigrants who came to America in the years following the American Revolution. By the early 1900’s, thousands from all over the world were flowing into this New York bay each day greeted by the dominant Lady Liberty. She was their first welcome to the Land of the Free. Ultimately, over 12 million immigrants debarked from their ships at this port and registered to be American citizens. They and their follow-on generations have enjoyed freedoms that would never have been possible had they not made such a bold move to a new life. The Statue of Liberty continues to stand immortal as the quintessential symbol of the luxury of freedom that we cherish.
Sadly, the freedoms that our founding fathers crafted and those that are symbolically ensconced at New York’s Hudson Bay have been constrained significantly over the years. From a health care perspective, the government and health agencies have greatly restricted our rights to choose and our range of choices. Along with commendable efforts to protect the public from medical fraud and illegitimate practitioners, the controlling powers of our country have also taken away many opportunities for bona fide treatment.
America, known for some of the most advanced medical science successes in the world, is also known as perhaps the most restrictive nation in the world for medical practices. Have you noticed how many people go outside our borders for medical treatment, especially cancer treatment? Celebrities and others with financial means routinely travel overseas, to Mexico, or to Canada for their cancer treatment. How often do you hear of cancer patients from other countries coming to the United States for treatment. Very seldom.
The freedom that this great nation has paid for with blood, sweat, and tears, does not apply in great measure to our health care in general or to our cancer treatment in particular. Integrative oncology is viable, legal, and available, albeit scarce, in this country. Yet, the freedom to access it is restrained by the medical industries, medical agencies, the government, lack of emphasis in medical schools, and lack of public awareness. The objective of this blog, my soon-to-be-published book, and the Connie Thompson Foundation is to pursue the freedoms of choice in cancer treatment. Please join me in this pursuit.