WACO, Texas (KWTX) – Betty Bickett, a Central Texas cancer patient who has carefully planned a small Christmas celebration says she’ll be grateful to see her family, if only from a distance.
“We are planning to observe all of the protocols this Christmas,” Bickett said.
Bickett has spent the last year protecting herself from the virus, only leaving home for her cancer treatments at Texas Oncology.
“We have taken it very seriously,” she says.
While the treatments themselves have been difficult, something that adds to her struggle is not having family members with her when she goes.
“This year we usually are not allowing any family members to come to the clinic visits,” says her physician, Dr. Tyler Snedden with Texas Oncology.
Snedden says that because of COVID-19 protocols Texas Oncology is limiting who is allowed in their facilities.
That is a major reason why Bickett was so adamant on finding a way to see her family at Christmas.
“The support that family gives is amazing,” Bickett said.
Her plan is to limit the guests to only a few close family members, hold the get-together outside if possible, and wear masks.
“She had some great plans in place to protect herself from COVID-19,” Snedden said.
Snedden says family support is essential to patients fighting cancer.
“It’s very important to lean on those loved ones when you go through this treatment,” he says.
And while the celebration might look a little different, Bickett says she is so grateful to see her family even if it’s from a distance.
“To see them in person is just uplifting, very uplifting,” she says.