I am a veteran, a mother, a victim of corporate greed and a cancer survivor. I am angry.
Today, I am using my voice to shed light on a little-known effort by very wealthy corporations, Johnson & Johnson specifically, to use bankruptcy to escape paying the medical bills and lost wages of tens of thousands of women who were poisoned by J&J’s baby powder that was mixed with asbestos, a substance known for decades to cause cancer.
Growing up in Harvey, I had a strong desire to serve my country, following in my father’s footsteps. At 23, I joined the Air Force and spent 13 years stationed in various bases, from Albuquerque to Miami from South Korea to Spain. My time in foreign lands instilled in me a deep appreciation for our freedoms.
My battleground was not within the hierarchies of military ranks but within my own body. I developed ovarian cancer due to the use of talcum powder tainted with asbestos, a product of J&J’s decision to put profits above my life and above the lives of women. In 2008, a football-sized tumor was discovered in me at a VA hospital.
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Today, I am in remission after chemotherapy, a total hysterectomy and the reconstruction of my colon, living with the lingering effects of neuropathy in my feet, arms and hands — and crushing debt of $350,000.
Mine is not an isolated case; there are countless others like me, unwitting victims of corporate recklessness and ungodly greed. I put my life on the line for this country, and now I find myself fighting a different enemy: companies that refuse to take responsibility for their negligence and greed.
Today I am fighting to force companies to be honest with the public about the potential risks of their products. It’s high time we prioritize the health and well-being of our citizens over corporate interests. We deserve nothing less.
Fortunately, Illinois has U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, who has done so much to help all of us. In fact, he is co-sponsoring legislation that would stop J&J and other highly profitable companies from misusing bankruptcy to escape their ethical, moral and legal obligations. I hope our other elected federal officials will help us as Sen. Durbin has.
So far they have been silent. We are fighting for our very lives.
Beatrice Baker, Park Forest
Kissing the ring
In some cultures and religions, kissing the ring of a noble or prelate has been done as an acknowledgment of that individual’s superior position.
Pedro Martinez simply failed to understand his obligation to signify his subservience to Stacy Davis Gates and the Chicago Teachers Union and to their creation/lackey, Mayor Brandon Johnson. This is what cost Martinez his job as CEO of the Chicago Public Schools.
Charles Berg, Hyde Park/Kenwood
Title holder
Since Donald Trump continues to refer to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “governor,” perhaps rather than the too tame sobriquet of “president-elect,” we should refer to Trump as “hall monitor in chief.”
Kevin Kann, Libertyville