My name is Emma Pereira and I am a Rhode Island citizen who currently resides in East Providence, RI. I am speaking on behalf of many with a few concerns I am having due to circumstances surrounding the current pandemic.

I have had outstanding irregular cell growth inside my cervix that specialists and health care providers have been monitoring closely for a year and a half now. Every 6 months I have a colposcopy done, where the specialist takes biopsies of my cervix to test for cancer. As of now, I have had just three of these procedures done. The first two procedures showed consistent results of a small-grade lesion that could either progress to a higher grade, or be naturally cleared out by my body. This past week, the newest test results showed a much higher grade lesion and growth of pre-cancerous cells that have an abnormality within them. The specialist communicated that they will need to remove the portion of my cervix where this growth is persisting immediately, or the cells will progress to turn into cervical cancer. 

Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, I was told that this surgery was "voluntary," and I would have to wait 4 months in order to even have an appointment made, not even have this surgery actually done. This is especially concerning to me seeing the time frame I have been being monitored, and how quickly the cells are changing. This could very likely, before those four months, turn to cancer and spread to other parts of my body such as the pancreas and colone if not treated as soon as possible. 
I was reaching out to the Department of Health to communicate my serious concerns for my health and safety, and the lack of choice as an American and Rhode Island citizen what can and cannot be done to my body, especially in a case so serious. I know I am probably one of many, but I am one who is scared, helpless, and confused. Having decisions out of my control being made for my health, body and safety not even being done directly by me or my healthcare provider seems unjust, and the thought of putting my life on the line more than it already is due to the world's current circumstances is unsettling and severely affects my quality of life. A surgery that would have been taken care of in a matter of weeks is now going to be spread out for a number of months, and will put my health majorly at risk if not treated as soon as possible. I am hoping the Department of Health can work through specific cases citizens like myself are experiencing to find a way to operate on those in need sooner rather than later. 

I am speaking on behalf of those who are like myself, and are being told surgeries that are 100% necessary are voluntary, to please have something be done about this immediately. I do not want the cells growing to progress to cancer in this time, and not have the ability or choice as a recent college grad to live the life I have planned for myself after the pandemic passes and use this time I am out of work to heal. 

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading this email and considering my case as well as the cases of many others during this trying time. As a citizen of a state that has already surpassed many others with the policies and procedures concerning the virus, I have no doubt the state of Rhode Island can make a change for people like me who are in desperate need of operations to be done during this time. Again, thank you.

https://www.propublica.org/article/cancer-surgeries-and-open-transplants-are-being-put-off-for-coronavirus-can-they-wait