Caring for people with lethal and chronic illnesses has great value

By Fátima Masse

In Mexico, caregiving is practically taken for granted and undervalued. It is as if it were an implicit family mandate that generally falls on women. The first thing that comes to mind when talking about this concept is the care of children or the home. However, care is also essential during lethal and chronic illnesses.

In this sense, the initiative introduced last week by alternate Senator Juan Pablo Adame Alemán stands out. On Wednesday, he took the podium and with an emotional speech, in which he reflected his own struggle against stomach cancer, he emphasized the need to modify the General Health Law to support with resources or in kind the caregivers of cancer patients, in order to cover transportation, lodging, food and psychosocial care needs. Caregivers also require resources, attention and care in such an exhausting process.