Paula Chambers Raney was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2015, and since then has been a tireless advocate based on her lived experience as a young Black lesbian.
She first began experiencing symptoms when she was 42 and was misdiagnosed by more than 20 doctors who told her she had irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhoids or blamed her diet. She was even told when she went to the emergency room that she was exaggerating her pain in order to get opioids. She was routinely dismissed because of her race.
She lost her job due to her illness and lost her health insurance. Despite the many doctor visits a colonoscopy was never suggested and no one investigated her for cancer. Eventually she needed acute care after collapsing during a trip to New York with her wife Lara Raney. She subsequently had surgery to remove a large tumour and a 9 inch portion of her intestine.
When asked how she was treated as a lesbian woman, Paula commented:
Some respect you’re in a same sex marriage or you’re gay; some don’t. When I would say I was in pain, especially with this colorectal cancer, some providers would say, “You people can take pain. Come on, toughen up.” Just blatant inappropriate things. [There was also] a doctor who sat me down and told me straight up, “I think you’re going to hell. I can’t treat you.” I said, “Thank you for telling me. I don’t want you to treat me.” (laughs) Unfortunately, you kinda get used to it. Sad but true. I was always just kind of taking my chances.
Read more about Paula here (Business Insider), here (Everyday Health), here (Colorectal Cancer Alliance) or here (Duke Cancer Institute).
