Columnist Chelsea Kline: It’s in our blood to look out for one another

By Chelsea Kline, for the Daily Hampshire Gazette
Published: 1/31/2020 11:49:33 AM

Nearly 20 years ago, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. We lived in western Massachusetts, but her doctor practiced in Boston. Although she was physically capable of driving herself, I made myself useful as her chauffeur, hand-holder, and joke-teller. I was a single mother, retail worker and community college student, so if anyone asked about my career, I would falsely boast about my promotion, “waiting room professional,” which always elicited a confused mild chuckle and a slightly concerned look.