A very sad tale. This is one of the reasons I absolutely deplore Provinces having their own brand of Canadian healthcare. Too many bloody Ivory Towers and no real Canadian Standard for treatment.
R..I.P. Mrs Fletcher. Your call for change was heard by some.
LISTEN: Cancer crusader's husband urges people to keep up the conversation
Kimm Fletcher was dying of a brain tumour as she fought the Ontario government to fund a drug that would prolong the life of cancer patients
NEWSTALK 1010 has learned Kimm Fletcher, the Milton woman who fought to have cancer drug Avastin covered by the Ontario government, has passed away.
She leaves behind two children and a husband.
Fletcher battled Queen's Park to convince OHIP to pay for a drug she believes would prolong her life and the lives of other who live with aggressive forms of brain cancer.
Health Canada approved Avastin for the treatment, however, Ontario only covers the drug to treat colorectal cancer -- a funding decison made by the provincial drug evaluation committee.
Avastin is covered to treat brain cancer in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
Fletcher was 41.
Her husband, Scott released the following on Monday afternoon:
As you may be aware, last night at 6:10pm, my beloved wife Kimm, mom to 8-year-old Martie and 10-year-old Keidon, passed away after a brave battle with brain cancer.
When Kimm was diagnosed, she got ready for a fight, like most young mothers would. I was so proud of the way she stood up and asked the government to make change not only for herself, but for all the Ontarians and Canadians who expect their government to take care of them in their time of need.
And in the process, she did find help. Help from the public. The listeners, viewers and readers who learned about her story and donated money so that she could get access to the Avastin drug that allowed her to have more time with our children. The drug that was covered in three other provinces, but not in Ontario.
Read more
R..I.P. Mrs Fletcher. Your call for change was heard by some.
LISTEN: Cancer crusader's husband urges people to keep up the conversation
Kimm Fletcher was dying of a brain tumour as she fought the Ontario government to fund a drug that would prolong the life of cancer patients
NEWSTALK 1010 has learned Kimm Fletcher, the Milton woman who fought to have cancer drug Avastin covered by the Ontario government, has passed away.
She leaves behind two children and a husband.
Fletcher battled Queen's Park to convince OHIP to pay for a drug she believes would prolong her life and the lives of other who live with aggressive forms of brain cancer.
Health Canada approved Avastin for the treatment, however, Ontario only covers the drug to treat colorectal cancer -- a funding decison made by the provincial drug evaluation committee.
Avastin is covered to treat brain cancer in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
Fletcher was 41.
Her husband, Scott released the following on Monday afternoon:
As you may be aware, last night at 6:10pm, my beloved wife Kimm, mom to 8-year-old Martie and 10-year-old Keidon, passed away after a brave battle with brain cancer.
When Kimm was diagnosed, she got ready for a fight, like most young mothers would. I was so proud of the way she stood up and asked the government to make change not only for herself, but for all the Ontarians and Canadians who expect their government to take care of them in their time of need.
And in the process, she did find help. Help from the public. The listeners, viewers and readers who learned about her story and donated money so that she could get access to the Avastin drug that allowed her to have more time with our children. The drug that was covered in three other provinces, but not in Ontario.
Read more