Posted on Nov 17, 2021, 11:11 AMUpdated Nov 17, 2021, 2:11 PM
When Shirley Cochrane recovered from breast cancer in 2017, the doctors were clear. To avoid any recurrence, she had to see her oncologist every six months, have a mammogram once a year, and regularly test her blood pressure with her doctor. When the pandemic hit, all of his medical exams were canceled overnight. “I felt abandoned, as if my survival blanket had been taken away from me”, she says. Eighteen months later, she testifies with emotion of her dismay before the parliamentary commission of inquiry, responsible for assessing the repercussions of the Covid. His words echo under the high ceilings of the House of Commons : “As long as you have never been confronted with a cancer diagnosis, you do not measure the psychological impact that the fear of recurrence can have. “
Then it’s James Wilkinson’s turn to speak. Suffering from a rare inflammation of the heart, the father of a 6-year-old girl was due to undergo an operation in May 2020. On three occasions, the operation was canceled. The resuscitation beds, like the nurses, were occupied by patients with Covid. “My wife would drop me off at the hospital in the morning, then she had to come back to pick me up the next day. It was very scary for her, he testifies. When I came home my daughter would tell me, ‘It was quick, daddy. “
–
