As Breast Cancer Awareness Month nears its end and the election looms, healthcare is top of people's minds. It became a focal point during Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court hearings as the Affordable Care Act waits for another day in court.
As the CEO of Susan G. Komen, Paula Schneider, a breast cancer survivor herself, told Cheddar's Opening Bell, "People need to care that their healthcare is one of the most important rights that they should have."
During the same interview, journalist Katie Couric, founder of Katie Couric Media, also called healthcare an essential right saying, "if you have a system that isn't open to people, it's just blatantly, terribly, un-American."
The National Cancer Institute estimates that as of January 2019, there are 16.9 million cancer survivors in the United States. This represents approximately 5 percent of the population, and that number of cancer survivors is projected to increase by nearly 30 percent, to nearly 22 million, by 2029.
Now amid the pandemic, people are delaying screening and routine care with a sharp drop in screenings and cancer diagnoses this year. According to a recent JAMA study, breast cancer diagnoses alone saw a 51.8 percent dip in March and April compared to previous years. According to Schneider, some reports show that drop being as large as 80 percent when it comes to breast cancer. "That doesn't mean it's not happening," she said. "It just means it's not being diagnosed, and therefore it's not being treated."
"Ladies get your mammograms."
As for Couric, she has faced the heartbreak of cancer within her own family. Her first husband Jay and her sister Emily both died following their battles with cancer. She said that one of the most important things a support system can do for a cancer patient is just to be there. "When Jay was sick he said having cancer is the loneliest experience in the world," Couric said.
That's part of the reason she partnered with pharmaceutical giant Merck for a new project called Your Cancer Story. The program provides information and support to cancer patients from diagnosis to treatment to survivorship. Couric said she wishes she had access to this kind of program for her own family years ago.
"You can see people talking about what they're going through. You can get advice. You can get guidance. You can get support," she explained. "Other survivors and other caregivers can talk about some of the things they wish they had known."
Cheddar's Michelle Castillo sits down with Jane Danger, national mixologist with Pernod Ricard, to talk all about the top summer cocktails to try with friends.
John Coffee, Law Professor at Columbia University, joined Closing Bell to discuss the latest obstacle in Elon Musk's attempted Twitter takeover, as the billionaire claims the company is hiding accurate information about the number of fake accounts on the platform.
Bill Nye the Science Guy is back but on an even smaller screen. America’s favorite science teacher has racked up more than eight million followers on TikTok, and he joined Cheddar News to talk about his success on the platform, having fun but also being serious about scientific topics like tackling climate change, and his newest hosting project "The End is Nye," a streaming show on Peacock that examines disasters — both natural and manmade. "There are six episodes. We have big disasters. Things go terribly wrong, and then we show you how things could have gone right," he explained.
With the temperature heating up and summer around the corner, we're all enjoying the great outdoors once again. As much as you love a day at the beach, it's important to remember that the beautiful weather can take a toll on your skin if you aren't careful. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Michelle Henry joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Catching you up on today's entertainment headlines with "Top Gun: Maverick" hitting $500 million at the box office, Queen Elizabeth II celebrating her Platinum Jubilee — with Paddington Bear, Mariah Carey being sued over her hit “All I Want For Christmas Is You," coverage from the MTV Music and Video Awards, and more.
The labor market continues to be hot, with job openings at record highs and jobless claims dropping by the thousands. While that's good news for workers, experts say it can add to inflation risks and make the Fed's job even harder when it comes to cooling inflation. José Torres, Senior Economist at Interactive Brokers, breaks down what a tight labor market means for the economy.
The labor market continues to be strong. The U.S. added 390,000 jobs in May, while the unemployment rate held steady at 3.6%. Julia Pollak, Chief Economist for ZipRecruiter, breaks down the latest data and what it means for the economy.
On today's Biz Breakdown, Musk invites more in-office mandates, you can now pay with Bitcoins for burritos at Chipotle, and 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' faces a new lawsuit.