What's Going Down On Broadway?
- With two Covid-19 cases already, Hugh Jackman, 53, is one of the stars performing on Broadway audience members don’t want to lose again.
- A survivor of skin cancer, he’s been able to make a full Covid recovery and is on stage again as Harold Hill in The Music Man.
- After battling cancer six times, the survivor is intentional about his skin and the people he wants around when times are hard.
All 41 theaters continue to operate under a required mask-wearing policy in the audience. This is scheduled to be modified to a ‘masks encouraged, but optional’ status as soon as July 1 hits, with a strong emphasis on the encouraged part.
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The Winter Garden Theatre where Jackson performs seats over 1,500 guests – that’s 1,500 potential cases of Covid flowing through a packed theater without that extra layer of protection from face coverings, putting Jackman, and other immunocompromised individuals, in a vulnerable position.
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Mask mandates have been lifting all over New York for weeks now, and many in the performing arts industry are unhappy about the idea of hopping on that trend.
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Broadway audiences are made up mostly of older-aged people and tourists who’ve just traveled. Factors like these make these theaters a hub of high risk. Concerning Jackman, people worry about Covid-19 contraction for those who are immunocompromised and/or cancer survivors because the consequences of having COVID could be more serious.
Should cancer survivors be extra cautious around the issue of Covid-19? The answer is a general: yes. But, there are several different reasons why. Survivors who’ve recently been through chemotherapy have blunted immune systems from the treatment, making them more susceptible to the virus.
Luckily, Jackman was able to make a full recovery from the virus and is back in the game.
Guess who's back today as Harold Hill?! Woohoo! 😄🥳 repost • @ musicmanbway Welcome back, Hugh! Our music man returns to the Winter Garden Theatre this afternoon. #HughJackman #TheMusicMan #wintergarden #broadway pic.twitter.com/32OnTGtkff
Jackman’s Landing Fan Page (@JackmansLanding) June 22, 2022
Hugh’s Skin Cancer Battle
The Tony nominee is a skin cancer fighter, and survivor. In 2013, he was diagnosed with skin cancer for the first time. Since then, he's battled the disease five more times.
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As a result, Jackman is reportedly extra conscientious about skin protection, encouraging others to wear sunscreen daily and do self-scans of their skin.
The actor was previously diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, or "BCC." This is the most commonly diagnosed skin cancer in the U.S.
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), 5.4 million basal and squamous cell skin cancers are diagnosed each year in the U.S. Jackman's most recent battle with basal cell carcinoma was in 2017.
Protect your skin by wearing sunscreen daily, avoiding tanning beds, and staying out of the sunlight during peak hours.
Covid-19 Vaccines for Cancer Patients
Survivors like Jackman should get the vaccine for Covid-19 if they are able to do so.
Some treatments for cancer, such as chemotherapy, blunt the immune system, meaning a person with cancer could be more likely to contract Covid-19. People battling cancer should get the Covid-19 vaccine too if they're eligible and able. One of the few populations that may be advised not to get the vaccine is people battling blood cancer. If you're among this group, speak with your oncologist about the best course of action for you.
Dr. Vincent Rajkumar, a doctor from the Mayo Clinic, spoke in an earlier interview about the importance of getting vaccinated if you have cancer. He also assures people of vaccine safety, saying, "It is very safe and there is no increased risk to you just because you have cancer."
"As long as you are feeling well, just go ahead with the vaccine whenever it's offered to you. Sometimes even on the same day if you are going to the clinic to get a small dose of chemotherapy and they're giving the vaccine, just get it, there's really no major problem," Dr. Rajkumar says. "The only people for whom we are saying to delay by a month or two are patients who have had a stem cell transplant because we have wiped out (the patients' immune system). And so you want to wait until some of the recovery happens so when you give the vaccine, they have an immune response."
Which Sunscreen Should I Choose To Prevent Cancer?
Supportive Relationships Through Illness
Having a supportive partner or spouse through a cancer battle can help. In an earlier interview, actress and melanoma survivor Jill Kargman candidly expresses how she believes that cancer can be a litmus test for the strength of a relationship.
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Kargman says, "I think cancer is a great way to find out if you're with the love of your life… or a sh*thead. I think it presses the fast forward button on getting to the bottom of that answer, because a lot of people in middle age are kind of at a crossroads, waiting for their kids to fly the coop."
General relationship advice will tell you to pay attention to the way your person acts in extreme situations. An unstable relationship will add onto the already stacked pile of stress that comes with illness.
Kargman continues, "And I think if you're with someone who is not supportive and kind of emotionally checked out or doesn't tell you you're still beautiful with that, this might not be your person."
Jill Kargman on Relationships and Cancer
Contributing: Anne McCarthy
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