A woman who discovers a lump in her breast usually understands that it could be cancer and often seeks help immediately. This quest for a diagnosis happens whether a woman is in the community or incarcerated. The will to survive is strong, and quickly obtaining a diagnosis and undergoing treatment for breast cancer can mean the difference between life and death. Unfortunately for incarcerated women, getting diagnosed in a timely manner is not always easy, and once diagnosed obtaining treatment is not always an option.
The following article by Victoria Law of Truthout contains horror stories of women prisoners with breast cancer. While not every prison in the United States is guilty of such egregious medical neglect, far too many women, (and men), are suffering from a lack of proper medical care for life-threatening illnesses. Law’s article, which is reposted here with permission, details why outside-of-prison support is crucial to changing policies that can deliver a death sentence to a prisoner, even though such a drastic sentence was not handed down by the court.
|
