Support for LAist comes from
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Stay Connected
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen

Share This

News

Vaccine Talks: When Will My Teen Brother, A Cancer Survivor, Be Protected? 

Anthony Luna. (Photo by Joshua Luna)
()

With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive. 

This is part of a series of conversations that Cal State Northridge students had with loved ones about COVID-19 vaccinations. Planning your own conversation with family or friends? Here are some tips.

Helenkate Luna, South Central

My 15-year-old brother Anthony is a cancer survivor; he's been in remission about seven years.

We talked about how his life has changed because of COVID-19 and he pointed out that he has to be extra careful because he obviously has a weaker immune system than most.

Support for LAist comes from

He’s not sure when he's going to be able to receive the vaccine but feels that, as a student and a cancer survivor, he should be able to get vaccinated as soon as he has the opportunity. He hopes to return to school, but wants to feel safe doing so.

I wish it were easier to find a way to be able to get him vaccinated. I get frustrated when I think about how access to the vaccine is generally all over the place. The fact that people who are working from home are able to get the vaccine, yet my immunocompromised brother won't get his vaccine anytime soon is upsetting and genuinely makes me sad.

READ THE REST OF OUR 'VACCINE TALKS' SERIES:

Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletter. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.

At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.

But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.

We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.

Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist