[Dialogue] Ann Richards and Molly Ivins Ain't Done with Us Yet!

[Harry Wainwright]

Published on Monday, February 5, 2007 by CommonDreams.org
<http://www.CommonDreams.org>  

Ann Richards and Molly Ivins Ain't Done with Us Yet! 

by Linda Milazzo

 

Two great daughters of Texas, two great friends, and two irreplaceable
inspirations to women (and men) have passed away. Ann Richards, the former
Governor of Texas, with her contageous smile, delightful banter, and larger
than life persona, died of esophageal cancer on September 13, 2006. Less
than five months later on January 31, 2007, Richards' dear friend, the
insightful, brilliant and fabulously witty syndicated columnist, Molly
Ivins, lost her valiant battle with breast cancer for the third and final
time. Both were too young and seemingly much too mighty to go. Yet in their
deaths, as in their lives, they continue to inform us. They bring us the
message that if those so mighty can be struck down, the rest of us had
better take heed. We must recognize the signs of illness. Do our best to
protect ourselves. And work hard to ensure that ALL people have the
healthcare to defend against disease. 

Tributes to Molly Ivins continue to pour in. As well they should. Molly
Ivins set a standard for journalistic skill, independence and bravery that
won't easily be matched. Nor will the personal valor with which she openly
battled her illness. The valor I witnessed first hand this past August while
attending the Codepink Women's Retreat at the Crossings in Austin, Texas. 

Molly Ivins was a featured speaker at the Retreat. Yet as ill as she was,
she made certain to fulfill her commitment. Few of us knew how sick Molly
was until we saw her that weekend. The ravages of her disease were apparent.
She'd lost her hair, her skin was jaundiced, and her body was concave. She
moved slowly, but with grace. She made ready eye contact, was kind,
welcoming, and decidedly more jovial than the average person in so delicate
a state. 

I was awed by the openness with which Molly battled her disease. Molly Ivins
taught a critical lesson to every woman at that Retreat. She provided a
true-life example of the gravity of breast cancer. An unspoken but glaring
message to take heed and do all you can to prevent this from happening to
you. A generous, selfless gift to mostly strangers, whose principal bond was
womanhood, and a shared vulnerability to the same disease. 

As Molly Ivins wrote in her February, 2000 column regarding her first bout
with breast cancer, "On a personal note: I have contracted an outstanding
case of breast cancer, from which I intend to recover. I don't need get-well
cards, but I would like the beloved women readers to do something for me:
Go. Get. The. Damn. Mammogram. Done. 

This past August in Austin, Molly delivered that very same message to the
women at the Retreat. But this time it wasn't written. Or spoken. It was
visual. What grace Molly Ivins had!! What selfless generosity. 

That weekend I had the pleasure to lunch with Molly's longtime friend and
assistant, Betsy Moon, who told me Molly had informed her doctors of her
plan to visit the Grand Canyon. Illness and all. Molly Ivins was a force of
nature. And when she took the stage at the Retreat, she commanded it with
characteristic charm and unrivaled wit. No self-pity. No sadness. Just
astonishing courage and class. 

Thank you, Molly. I hope you made it to the Grand Canyon. And we promise we
will "Go. Get. The. Damn. Mammorgam. Done."!! 

And while we're at it, let's push for single-payer health care so ALL
women... ALL people... have the tools to defend against disease. 

And while we're still at it, let's allow the great Ann Richards to continue
to help us just like she always did. 

Before succumbing to cancer, Governor Richards embarked on a crusade to
educate women about osteoporosis. She'd been diagnosed with the condition
and was determined to beat it. She'd even written a book about it, called
"I'm Not Slowing Down: Winning My Battle With Osteoporosis." 

Now, if Governor Richards trekked clear across the nation to educate us on
our bones, let's get educated! Let's learn about osteoporosis. And beyond
that, let's learn about the illness that ultimately took her life.
Esophageal cancer. I believe to my core Ann Richards would want us to do so.
And not a moment too soon! 

According to a recent
<http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=8796>  medical
study, "the incidence of adenocarcinoma and deaths from esophageal cancer
have been increasing steadily in the U.S. and western Europe.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), in which acid refluxes from the
stomach into the esophagus (known primarily for causing heartburn) is a
condition that afflicts 20% of the populations of the U.S. and western
Europe." 

All over the tube, drug companies are pushing over-the-counter and
prescription drugs to combat acid reflux and indigestion. But taking over
the counter drugs for chronic heartburn can sometimes mask the symptoms of
increased esophageal problems. I'm no doctor. And I don't want to sound like
a medical commercial, or employ Bush/Cheney fear tactics. But I look at it
this way: I'd rather put the doctors to work than enrich the drug companies
any day. So if you're lucky enough to have health coverage, and you have
symptoms that cause you concern, go get checked. It's possible an endoscopy
might give you the info that could possibly save your life. 

Ann Richards and Molly Ivins worked hard to enrich our lives. They set
examples for us to follow. Let's allow them to continue their work. Let's
honor their legacies by honoring ourselves. I'm certain that's what they
would want. Linda Milazzo (pimbalina at mac.com)is a Los Angeles based writer,
educator and activist. Her writing has appeared in numerous newspapers,
magazines and domestic and international journals. She's a member of
CodePink Women For Peace and Progressive Democrats of America. 

###

 

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