As the debate is raging about COVID, I want to share some perspective. I have a client that has given me permission to share her story and it is compelling.

Some time ago, my client, Peggy, was diagnosed with cancer near her brain. It was a very rare form of cancer and most treatments for it were only recently developed so she was forced to go out of state for treatment. This was particularly difficult for her due to the fact that she was self-employed as a barber and so the time off meant no income.

While the surgery was successful, her survival hinged on follow-up treatment and the only physician that could do it was out of John’s Hopkins. As she was waiting for her appointment our elected officials decided to shut our nation down without considering all of the consequences. Whether you believe this helped keep us safe or not is less relevant than the fact that, for this wonderful lady, it meant her appointment was cancelled and she still cannot reschedule. Further, her business is shut down and she is very concerned about paying for the insurance necessary to pay for the treatment to keep her alive.

Recommending that people stay home and take precautions is fine. Passing funding measures to encourage such actions is also within the authority of our elected officials but closing down states indefinitely with a vague suggestion we will open some business at some later date and others later yet is certainly not.

The CDC is including every death that could possibly be linked to COVID in the mortality numbers and the numbers are still not close to a bad flu season (if you come into the hospital and die of a hear attack but may also have had COVID the cause of death counted towards the COVID numbers). So why are we still closed? This disease is now known to be substantially less dangerous than a number of other outbreaks so what is the justification for ignoring our Constitutional rights?

We can take precautions but should do so because it is the right thing to do and we freely make the choice to do so. The curve has been flattened and no one believes our healthcare system is going to be overrun so lets stop trying to make political gains saying we are keeping people safe and let our citizens decide whether to open up or not.

Whether you agree with me or not, Peggy needs your help and I ask that you support her. Please check her GoFundMe page at  https://www.gofundme.com/f/peggy-reeds-cancer-battle. 

I thank you on her behalf.