Cancer patients held Women’s March in hospital: Twitter is in AWE

Jan 25, 2017

As millions of women took to city streets to march for equality last weekend, several women, who were unable to attend official marches, held their own in the hospital where they are currently receiving treatment for cancer.

Taking to Twitter to share photographs of the march in the LA hospital, Allie Oetken wrote: "Couldn't make it the LA march today so we had to do our own protest around the hospital (only got 1 floor– we tried tho)."

Allie, who is currently living with a rare bone cancer known as Ewing's Sarcoma, told Seventeen that being unable to participate in an official march had left her feeling disheartened.

"I've been a cancer patient for two years now and have had clear scans until just about last weekend when they found a tumour on my skull. So I've been in the hospital mostly for pain management while we figure out what the plan is moving forward," she told the publication.

"Well that morning I knew there was going to be multiple women's marches around the country and world and was pretty bummed I wasn't going to be apart of it, especially since my friends were going to the LA one," she explained.

couldn't make it the LA march today so we had to do our own protest around the hospital (only got 1 floor– we tried tho) #WomensMarch pic.twitter.com/AsPIuHVd6K

— allie oetken (@allieoets) January 21, 2017

"Well in the middle of my wallowing, I heard another lady squeaking down the hallway chanting something so I went out and joined her and we had put together signs that say "Freedom for All" and things like that and marched with our IV poles as well as some of the nurses."

Allie says she was relieved to have been able to express her desire for equality with millions of other women over the weekend.

"It was small but very meaningful that I got to feel part of it and protest the new President and the gross rhetoric and behaviour that comes with his power and followers when I otherwise would have had to stay sick in bed and essentially be silent."