TOW #4: "This cancer patient’s treatment is on hold because of the government shutdown," Sarah Kliff

Cancer is an evil that touches millions of people everyday. The word is life-changing, and many have been affected by it. Michelle Langbehn is one of many that cancer has touched. But unlike many, her cancer, sarcoma, is very rare, and affects only one percent of cancer patients in the United States. Due to this, Langbehn has to consider alternative options for treatment. One of the alternatives she discovered was a trial at the National Institutes of Health. The only problem is that right before she could participate in the trial, the government shut down, putting her treatment, along with many others', on hold. This blog post, by Sarah Kliff, provides readers with an interview with Langbehn on her situation. Kliff writes mostly on health policies, but occasionally she writes about other political events. She has done pieces for Newsweek and BBC, along with The Washington Post, where this blog is posted. Although the government shutdown has affected many Americans, this story is one of the most powerful cases, because it is a matter of health. Without the necessary funds, the NIH can not run clinical trials, so more than 200 people each week have been turned away. Kliff creates an appeal to pathos, by choosing to include the fact that Langbehn was diagnosed with sarcoma right after having her first baby. Readers can feel the fear that Langbehn had over the possibility of dying before her daughter grows up. This creates a very strong emotional connection for the audience. Later in the post, Langbehn states that the trial she found was exactly the kind of treatment she needs. This fact makes the government the enemy for the audience, because their lack of compromise is what is stopping the trial. This piece leaves readers feeling sorry for Langbehn and also angry and exasperated with the government. Through this, Kliff sends the message that the shutdown is hurting our country and needs to end. This post was written for all American citizens. The effect of the shutdown is being felt throughout the nation, this is only one example of the struggles it is causing. Having been affected somewhat by cancer in my own life, I definitely felt the emotional impact that this post held. I truly understood the obstacles that our government system is causing in this woman's life.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/10/07/this-cancer-patients-treatment-is-on-hold-because-of-the-government-shutdown/