Cancer patients face dilemmas after loved ones diagnosed with COVID-19

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A metro Atlanta woman diagnosed with breast cancer said she was forced to delay chemotherapy after her husband tested positive for the coronavirus.

Channel 2′s Michael Seiden was in Cobb County, where unfortunately, Stephanie Poisson is not alone.

Seiden spoke with several cancer patients who all expressed concerns about their health as they battle cancer during the pandemic.

Poisson and her husband of 25 years, BJ Poisson, waited nine excruciating days before his COVID-19 test results came back positive.

If his diagnosis wasn’t scary enough, Stephanie Poisson had to worry about her own health. She’s currently undergoing chemo for early-stage breast cancer following a successful lumpectomy in early January.

“I’m supposed to have another round in the next week, and I haven’t even been back because I’ve been exposed," Poisson said.

Dr. Wally Curran is the executive director of the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.

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"We realize that there are cancer patients who need care, and their care cannot wait until this pandemic is over," Curran said. “We also have to be very diligent with our precautions.”

For patients who are being advised to continue with routine in-office visits, doctors are using questioning and screening to assess exposure in order to minimize the risk of transmission to other patients and office staff.

Other patients are staying home, instead using video conferencing to communicate with their doctors.

“The most important thing is to talk with their physician. Talk with their provider," Curran said.

BJ Poisson is now out of the hospital and recovering at home.

Stephanie Poisson said she is still second-guessing going to her next chemo appointment.

More than 2,600 confirmed cases of cornavirus in Georgia There have been 80 deaths as of Sunday.

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