Skin cancer survivor Hugh Jackman may be known for his portrayal of Marvel comics character Wolverine, but now the actor is doing even more public good by urging fans to stay safe amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Jackman, 51, shared a photo on Instagram of a street poster depicting Wolverine’s logo with a written message reading “Wear a Mask.” Clearly, Jackman gave it his Wolverine seal of approval, as he reposted the photo and seconded the poster’s mask PSA. “Exhibit A. Even Wolverine has to adapt his mask – to wearing a proper one,” Jackman wrote.
Read MoreExpert Guidance For Cancer Patients During COVID-19
With the coronavirus pandemic taking up so many of our country's emergency health resources, many people facing cancer are worried about what happens if they do face some sort of complication from treatment. These fears are certainly warranted so it's important to understand some changes that are happening in oncology practices across the board as the U.S. medical system adjusts to the influx of COVID-19 cases.
Dr. Brieze Keeley Bell, an attending physician at UCSF Medical Center, tells SurvivorNet the safest bet for people going through cancer treatment, or those who have just finished treatment, is to practice social distancing as much as possible. However, for those who need to leave the house, wearing a mask is helpful to make sure you are not exposed to the virus as long as it’s covering both your nose and mouth.
How Cancer Survivors Are Handling COVID-19
Understandably, many people who have gone through cancer treatment are feeling heightened anxiety due to the outbreak. For, ovarian cancer survivor Maris Scheiss, she acknowledges that she is especially at risk of severe health issues if exposed to the virus, and that caused her to worry about her health more than usual.
“The fact that getting something very rare is is just now in my history, it's my DNA,” Scheiss tells SurvivorNet. "It happened to my once, why wouldn't it happen again?"
Related: Masks With a Message: 'If You Can See The (boobs), Please Back The F Up'
Despite being young and healthy, Scheiss knows that she is immunocompromised from past treatments during her battle with cancer, and news of COVID-19 was a scary, unexpected surprise. To stay healthy, Scheiss started taking extra precautions and following all recommended guidelines like washing her hands, constantly making sure her home is sanitized, staying home as much as possible, and wearing a mask when out of the house.
Ovarian cancer survivor Maris Scheiss explains how she’s managing anxiety during COVID-19
"I do find some sort of calm in having gone through not something similar, but this level of anxiety before," Scheiss says. "I know sometimes you have to put life on the back burner and worry about your health for five months, but I've been lucky to find the other side of that once before, and I have to continue to remain positive and look for that other side of this again."
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