Herlinda Sanchez, a 36-year-old diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer, faces challenges accessing chemotherapy due to the lack of cancer services in her rural community. She and her husband must drive three hours to San Antonio for treatment, highlighting the struggles rural cancer patients face. Lack of local chemotherapy services can lead to gaps in cancer care and decrease survival rates for rural patients. Financial and logistical challenges, such as travel costs and time, further impact patients and their families. Despite these obstacles, some rural hospitals are expanding services, like Childress Regional Medical Center in West Texas.
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