To think the most shocking thing about James VDB's death is...

It’s not just death. My ex husband has barely contributed to his son’s upbringing since we split up 25 years ago. As my son is autistic I still care for him at 35.

There are other healthcare models in the world other than the US system and the NHS.

Obviously, but they are an indication that there isn't enough money. A bit like rape trails taking 3 years to get to court, lack of policing, underfunded schools, limited national security etc. We take 'free' health care for granted because so far there have been just enough people willing and able to fund it whilst keeping the national debt at a reasonable level. However, it isn't sustainable and the cracks are beginning to show.

Think I’d take pot holes over people not being able to access medical treatment any day.

It happens all over the world. Most people can't afford expensive cancer treatment so they don't have it. This country can't afford for everyone to have expensive cancer treatment either. That is why we have a huge national debt and pot holes.

I don't agree. He didn't die suddenly, they could have moved the kids to different schools ages ago - something which people have been doing for financial reasons since the beginning of time. We all need to take some responsibility for our life choices and finances.

Surely someone would have had life insurance with six children?

Thanks.

It's actually amazing at how far treatments have come for some cancers. In the 80's, my son would've been terminal with no hope but I remember them telling me when he was first diagnosed that if your child has to have cancer, you want it to be this one.

Yep absolutely. Since cancer incidence is 1 in 2 people these days, I'm hoping for a bog standard, age appropriate, well studied and treatable cancer if I'm in that 50%. Anything rare or too early for routine detection is generally a high way to a shit end.

Sorry to heart about your son, but glad it was treatable. Yeah a lot of chemo is nasty stuff so you want it when you're old enough for the long term side effects to just blend into all your old age side effects. Still, the treatments and outcomes are improving all the time. As are the diagnostics. Just gotta keep eating plants, exercising, getting lots of sleep and hope for the best.

I voted YABU, not because I think the US system is desirable, but because I’m so tired of the bullshit trope that we have the NHS or US style healthcare. They are both extremes of the system, and almost every wealthy country in the world has something in the middle with a safety net but some element of insurance and personal responsibility in there. Neither the NHS or the US system are fit for purpose, we should be looking at Europe, Australia, Singapore for better models.

Absolutely agree. My daughter is a nurse. She pays her extortionate rent along with her bills and food (cooked from scratch). She has no holidays. She doesn't go out unless it's part of a Christmas or birthday gift from me. I've cut her hair the last few times. She certainly doesn't get beauty treatments. It's frightening how people are so out of touch with how tough life can be for lower earners nowadays.

Then I would argue that if you can’t afford to feed yourself you shouldn’t have started a family in the first place!

Most Americans dealing with chronic illness or needing paliative care are age 65+ and eligible for Medicare. Which is awfully similar to NHS. That's how they cope.

My foster sister (age late 50s, lives in California) has a life-limiting genetic health condition; she is on a kind of disabled persons health care package. She is a home-owner but her home is not an asset that gets considered.

YANBU that US healthcare is shocking.

YABU to think most average families are struggling financially after a family death.

To be honest, I sympathised more with his situation before I found out him and his wife are antivaxxers. They spread dangerous information that could contribute towards the death of children and adults. My sympathy has run dry I’m afraid.

I do donate to local cancer charities each month to support those affected by cancer and the death of loved ones. A close family friend died early 40s, his wife and kids were left with debts. Unfortunately for them, then didn’t know lots of famous people, and didn’t have a huge house they could sell to release equity.

You're hugely naive. Many people can barely afford food - how will they afford medical insurance!

Having lived in the States, I can tell you this is something Americans want - they actually say “Why should my taxes pay for other people’s illnesses?”. They’ve been collectively brainwashed to think that the American Dream is have a non-existence work life balance and only being out for themselves healthcare-wise.

Yep.

It really, really depends on the type of cancer.

My son's cancer was very treatable in the vast majority of cases as first line treatment is incredibly effective in 90% of cases which thankfully included him. If that first line treatment doesn't work? Prognosis is poor and unfortunately, there just isn't much they can do and reaching remission again is unlikely. There are some newer options offered via the NHS now such as CAR-T therapy which has had some great success but sadly isn't an option for every single type of cancer.

and an issue with childhood cancer specifically is that chemotherapy is made for adult bodies, not children so unfortunately, it also isn't unusual for the chemotherapy to work but it to also either permanently damage the child's body or sadly, cause the death of a child.

@Hitthebestbooth He wouldn’t have been the first self-employed person to have sold a big asset that year, in the context of a pandemic in which a relatively small amount of actors worked. Also, he was in a hit TV show for five years, made by Warner Brothers. We’re talking big bucks.

@EsmaCannonball I don’t entirely disagree, but when you’re on the bones of your arse, have six kids to feed, no assets, rent to pay then why not get money from a fan base and Hollywood associates? She may thinking of saving for college costs as well. You do what you need to do to keep a roof over your head.

Agree. They need some sort of system where your vote is worth 2x if you have an undergraduate degree.

I didn’t know this, that’s so heartwarming.

Her grandfather was Leader of the Labour Party and social reformer so she obviously shared the same ideals. The Lansbury estate in Poplar is named after him.

That's truly shocking. I was so sad to hear this news, big Dawson Creek fan back in the day as well!

@BruFord sorry about your friend. Yes, unfortunately a lot of cancer treatment is still experimental (due to cancer being a broad term for a huge variety of disease under active research requiring different approaches). So anything new is going to be hideously expensive, unless you meet the niche criteria for clinical trials. The NHS can’t and won’t fund it all. I think especially in younger people, the cancer is quite aggressive so you need the latest treatments for a best shot at recovery. If you don’t have private insurance, even in the UK, you can find yourself trying to make difficult decisions like remortgaging your house, or just letting nature take its course.

I don’t have private health insurance but it’s certainly something I’m considering once my finances are in better shape. Seeing the ravaging and painful effects of cancer up close has made me clean up my lifestyle massive over the last few years.