Cancer patient protests for urgent treatment in front of the Taquara Forum

In front of the Taquara Forum, a voice echoed amid the hustle and bustle of the city. Resident Ana Doris Rocha Boeira, 56 years old, was not just protesting, she was fighting time and the cancer that was spreading throughout her body.

Ana Doris Rocha Boeira, 57 years old, merchant

Personal archive

Ana Doris Rocha Boeira, 57 years old, merchant

Personal archive

Ana Doris Rocha Boeira, 57 years old, merchant

Personal archive

Ana Doris Rocha Boeira, 57 years old, merchant

Personal archive

Previous

Next

“The State is not providing the medicine I need,” she says with a mix of indignation and despair.

Ana Doris’ demand is clear: she demands immediate treatment for her malignant skin melanoma, which has now advanced to the lung and liver. Since she contacted her lawyer on January 19, she has been in a race against the clock.

“They gave a deadline of 30 days at the beginning. And, of course, they are within the deadline, but it is a very long deadline for someone with cancer to be spreading”, says Ana Doris, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.

Delays in the delivery of medicines are a constant in the lives of Ana Doris and many other patients with the disease in Brazil.

“I waited almost three months to start the initial treatment. It’s like there’s a gun pointed at your head, the days go by and it depends on the State providing the medicine”, she reveals.

This wait is not just a logistical hassle, it is a daily fight for life. “For the State it is only 15 days, 30 days, but for those who wait it is too much, because cancer cannot wait”, he says, expressing the anguish shared by so many other patients.

The lack of awareness about this reality is what motivates Ana Doris to raise her voice in protest. “Most people don’t know this, that people with cancer don’t go there and get treatment, no. She has to go to court, she has to wait,” she explains, highlighting the invisibility of this battle for many.

In the legal sphere, Ana Doris is represented by the medical documentation that attests to her condition and the urgency of treatment. Diagnosed in March 2020, with a history of follow-up at Hospital Bom Jesus de Taquara, she is a vivid example of the many voices silenced by the delay in the processes.

The report contacted the State Department of Health to obtain a position on Ana Doris’ case and is awaiting feedback.