Living in a woman’s body: as the world moves on from Covid, I feel the pain of being left behind

I have blood cancer and continue to isolate, living without touch, hugs, intimacy or love. It is heartbreaking

Before the pandemic, I was an artist, activist, teacher, director and producer - living fully, despite having had blood cancer for 10 years. Today, I am classified as A3" (a person with comorbidities) in the Philippines. In the UK, I am classified as extremely clinically vulnerable.

I don't believe in labels, yet all of a sudden, I am one. Although I am fully vaccinated and boosted, there are no guarantees that the vaccines work in a body that has a suppressed immune system, like mine.