In the U.K., patients with terminal cancer will be at the back of the line for health care under the government’s latest plans. Doctors of such patients are in an impossible bind. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy are more likely to die of the coronavirus, so trips to hospital risks exposing them to the virus. But without treatment, cancer may claim their lives prematurely.
Morhaf Al Achkar, a doctor with stage 4 lung cancer, recently told NPR:
As our society faces an illness that is serious and devastating, we, cancer patients, can share a few lessons from dealing with our infirmities. With support and care, you can find the strength to carry on. You keep going, and you give it your best shot. And always try to remember: Today is a gift.