Healthcare: A Right or Privilege?

I believe that access to healthcare should be a right. In our society, we have so many medical advances and cures for diseases that no one should be suffering from ailments that can easily be cured. It is a fundamental right for human beings to be able to be treated at a hospital without wondering how they will pay for it. The government says that free healthcare is a costly approach and that the private sector can better fund and manage helath care. With the free-market approach, healthcare providers are allowed to raise prices whenever they want. Many families cannot afford to buy insurance policies for their children and themselves. These families are struggling to cover basic living costs. Over 70 million people in the United States are unisured.

If the government controlled healthcare, salaries of healthcare professional would be lower than what they make now. There has to be a way to reform healthcare so that it is a near-win-win situation for health care providers and consumers.

Cancer: A Major Concern

I interviewed a few women and asked each women what was their major health concern. Cancer was one of the health issues that all of the women had in common, including myself. As an African American female, there are certain health issues that I am concerned about, such as breast cancer. Breast cancer strikes all women of all ages, ethnicities, and cultures. Every woman is at risk for this type of cancer. It kills thousands of women each year, and a cure is not available at the moment. The treatments for breast cancer include, chemotherapy and certain kinds of medications. These treatments are very hard on the human body and puts the person through vasts amounts of pain. Personally, breast cancer has affected my family. Since both my grandmother and aunt have had breast cancer, I know it puts me at a higher risk than other women. My grandmother died from the cancer and my aunt, who was recently diagnosed, is still fighting the disease.

Until a cure is found, breast cancer will continue to be a major concern of all women. Breast cancer can strike any woman, regardless of race, creed, or culture, and even if there is no family history. Almost every women knows of, or personally knows someone who has been affected by this type of cancer.