Choices affect real people

Until you, a friend, or a loved one has faced cancer, it is likely just an abstract concept for you.

Until a friend or loved one is hospitalized - or dies - from COVID, you may not be concerned, especially if you are vaccinated, healthy and unlikely to have a severe case if you catch it.

I was shaken to read this recent post from a friend, a young mother with a husband and two young children: "I feel like I've been pretty positive throughout my entire cancer experience. I never whined about how I spent 14.5 hours in the ER waiting room the day after my double mastectomy. I don't complain about my Thursday puke marathon days. I didn't shed a tear when I lost all my hair. I do my normal day job like nothing is wrong despite having nausea, digestive issues, mouth sores, exhaustion, and a constant metal taste in my mouth. The thing that set me off? Learning this morning my child's school is now mask optional. Here is to hoping I survive the next 9 weeks of chemo with nonexistent white blood cells, a more literal concern now than it used to be."

I want to believe that if the parents of her kid's classmates knew that her life is literally at risk if he brings COVID home from school, they would surely see that their kids stay masked for nine more weeks. Certainly they wouldn't send peanut-ingredient foods to class if they knew the child could suffer a severe reaction. We were both surprised that the school would not communicate this situation to the parents. Please know that while you may feel unconcerned about catching COVID, your and your kids' masking can be saving lives.

Jeff Slepak

Buffalo Grove