Editorial: Marriage Is As Protective As Chemotherapy in Cancer Care

Editorial


 See accompanying article abstract


".....Our humanity is relational at its essence—we are tribal people, drawn into connection with one another to share what is most meaningful and fulfilling in life. Our medicine needs to follow a parallel
paradigm: healing care that is both person- and family-centered in its expression. Several factors join together in the sociodemographic of being single—those with potentially fewer social supports, less education, membership within minorities, and limited health literacy—in short, those most in need. Aizer et al1 have reminded us of the power of human attachment in showing the contribution of marital status to survival.They stress why medicine ought not to be governed by money
but by humanistic, culturally sensitive, and comprehensive care. Our response must be to develop targeted supportive programs to attend to those most in need—a paradigmatic change in the focus of healing care that truly accompanies the biologic and scientific pursuits of medicine. In the words of that 16th century axiom, “To cure sometimes, to relieve often, to comfort always (Anonymous).”