My mum passed away at 47 from bowel cancer. I was 21. When diagnosed in her early 40s, there was no indication she would die. She started treatment and hospital visits, and chemotherapy integrated into our lives. I can remember her watching soaps on her portable TV in hospital while I would lie on her bed doing my homework. That was my normal. Mum was diagnosed later than is ideal and, as with so many cancers, early diagnosis is key to survival. She had a lot of chemo and was in remission over the years, but eventually the treatment stopped working.
That’s probably more of a cultural thing than anything else. It’s not something Caribbean immigrants are used to doing. You just try to deal with issues yourself, so for a long time
