When Gail Greenwood says “Thanks Obama,” she means it.
The bassist for the Boston band Belly has revealed she was battling cancer during the band’s recent reunion tour, and she credits so-called Obamacare for saving her life.
In a note to fans posted on Belly’s website, Greenwood says she was diagnosed with endometrial cancer last April while rehearsing for the band’s tour. But the show must go on, and, miraculously, it did. Greenwood had surgery six weeks before Belly played an unannounced set in Newport, R.I., before flying to England for a series of concerts. She had her first chemo treatment 10 hours after flying back from a show in Dublin.
Advertisement
“Though I prefer to keep health issues private, with the impending threat of repeal of the [Affordable Care Act], I feel I cannot remain silent,” Greenwood writes in the post, which has been widely shared on
Facebook. “Thanks to the ACA, many independent artists, musicians, freelancers and small business owners, such as my partner, Chil, and myself, and millions of low-income Americans have access to health insurance and medical care . . . and without the provisions of the ACA (such as prohibiting the denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions and outlawing yearly and lifetime caps) I would’ve had a very difficult time getting the treatment I needed.”
Greenwood goes on to thank her bandmates — Tanya Donelly and Tom and Chris Gorman — and the fans.
“The joy you shared with the four of us on stage was pure unicorn dust, with a healing power no FDA-approved medicine can touch! You all helped me get through this and I can’t wait to see you again in 2017!”
Mark Shanahan can be reached at shanahan@globe.com.