Political Quotes

On the recordSeptember 24, 2013
I want to begin with a story about two young men, both 29, both married with a couple of kids, and both contracted cancer the same day--malignant melanoma, the kind of cancer that comes from a mole. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon in our society. One of those young men had insurance. In fact, he had an insurance policy that provided preventive care, and under that policy they provided a free checkup. Indeed, his insurance covered his ability to go and have his checkup in the evening so he didn't even have to take a day off from work. He went in, had a checkup, and the doctor found a mole on his back and said: This doesn't look so good. I think I should take it off. A week later when he went back to have the stitches out, the doctor said: I think you should sit down. You have a pretty serious form of cancer. The young man went to the hospital and had an operation which removed a hunk of his back. He had stitches under his arm. The lymph nodes were taken out, and fortunately they found that the cancer had not yet spread. He didn't have to have chemotherapy or radiation. He was OK. The other young man didn't have insurance, so he didn't go to the doctor and have a checkup. He had the mole on his neck, but he didn't really notice it or pay much attention to it. Six or 8 months later he noticed a lump in his neck. He still didn't pay any attention to it.…
Said by
Angus King
Independent · Maine
Source
govinfo.gov
Sep 24, 2013

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