A Vancouver Island cancer patient who gave up on the provincial healthcare system in favour of life-saving treatment in Washington State, will get to spend Christmas with her family and ring in the New Year.
Campbell River香蕉视频直播檚 Kristin Logan suspects that would not have happened if she had stuck with British Columbia香蕉视频直播檚 backed-up system.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 coming out (of rounds of treatment) and surgery just in time for the holidays,香蕉视频直播� Logan said from the University of Washington Medical Centre in Seattle. 香蕉视频直播淢y husband and my daughter will be down here as well. My brother and my niece will be here. So, we香蕉视频直播檒l have a big, kind of, family Christmas.香蕉视频直播�
In the middle of her ongoing struggle for cancer treatment, Logan is urging British Columbians to speak out for change and demand better of what she considers the province香蕉视频直播檚 poorly-managed system.
Logan sought treatment for her stage-4 ovarian cancer which was diagnosed back in September. This after six months of reporting symptoms to her doctor. Chemotherapy was ordered, and she was informed there would be a three-to-four-month wait for surgery and six weeks before chemotherapy could start. Then, a few weeks after the diagnosis, she was informed that there was no record of the referral.
Because of the delays and because Logan is a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen and a veteran, she decided to go to Washington where her parents live and secure medical treatment there under her veteran benefits.
Logan would have been happy to get treatment in B.C., where she wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 have had to endure the emotional impact of getting treatment out of the province and enduring it alone.
香蕉视频直播淚t would have certainly been helpful to be at home,香蕉视频直播� Logan said. 香蕉视频直播淲hen you香蕉视频直播檙e going through cancer, you know, there香蕉视频直播檚 the emotional impact of that and, I mean, there were moments through this process 香蕉视频直播� I came down here because I was very far advanced 香蕉视频直播� that I was not sure I was going to live and to continue to go through that and have that scare without my husband and daughter by my side was brutal.香蕉视频直播�
Logan has managed to garner public and media attention for her situation and will continue to do so because she knows she香蕉视频直播檚 not the only one endangered by what she calls systemic problems.
香蕉视频直播淚 think it香蕉视频直播檚 time for us to really make our voices heard in every way we can to get these problems resolved. Quickly,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚t is mismanagement, it香蕉视频直播檚 bureaucracy, it香蕉视频直播檚 too many layers of red tape and not enough looking at what香蕉视频直播檚 going to be efficient and effective in terms of how we香蕉视频直播檙e managing and spending on our health care.香蕉视频直播�
Her case came to the attention of B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix.
香蕉视频直播淭he healthcare system doesn香蕉视频直播檛 always get it right, and that香蕉视频直播檚 why we have this set up and people can, as well, raise these issues 香蕉视频直播� and this has been done in this case publicly,香蕉视频直播� he told Global News.
His answer infuriated Logan.
香蕉视频直播淭o suggest that the system merely 香蕉视频直播榙oesn香蕉视频直播檛 always get it right香蕉视频直播� is a gross understatement, bordering on denial. Our healthcare system isn香蕉视频直播檛 tripping over minor hurdles; it香蕉视频直播檚 plummeting off a cliff. We香蕉视频直播檙e not dealing with 香蕉视频直播榦ccasional misses香蕉视频直播�; we香蕉视频直播檙e grappling with a chronically diseased system where inefficiency and neglect have become the norm.
Just 75 per cent of cancer patients are receiving radiation therapy within the Canadian benchmark of 28 days, according to B.C. Cancer Agency data, a drop from 77 per cent in May. The national average is 97 per cent.
Logan香蕉视频直播檚 case has connected her to others in similar situations. She also drew attention to the case of Dan Quayle, a Victoria man with a Campbell River stepdaughter. Quayle chose medical assistance in dying (MAiD) because he didn香蕉视频直播檛 receive chemotherapy and treatment in time.
香蕉视频直播淭he stepfather, was just, he couldn香蕉视频直播檛 wait anymore. He ended up electing MAiD because he was suffering for so long.
It has also caught the attention of the provincial opposition. BC United香蕉视频直播檚 Shirley Bond, shadow minister for health care, has been critical of current developments, including B.C. contracting two clinics in the United States for British Columbians to receive radiation treatment.
香蕉视频直播淭he crisis is so dire that we are sending patients to other countries for treatment 香蕉视频直播� and even then, some patients are choosing to fund their own care in the U.S. because they cannot get through BC Cancer fast enough, 香蕉视频直播� Bond said.
Meanwhile, Logan香蕉视频直播檚 treatment at the University of Washington has been encouraging. Chemotherapy is having a big impact on her tumour markers, dropping to levels that have everyone encouraged. She has more treatments to come and will be going in for surgery in two weeks.
Logan and her husband Donovan James are both self-employed business owners. Besides the medical challenge Logan faces, the family香蕉视频直播檚 economic stability and security is in jeopardy because they have lost her income.
香蕉视频直播淕etting the cancer and having to come down to the States has been extraordinarily financially disruptive,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 been an enormous financial strain.
香蕉视频直播淥ur daughter香蕉视频直播檚 in university now. The three of us are completely separated. She香蕉视频直播檚 in Nanaimo, he香蕉视频直播檚 in Campbell River, I香蕉视频直播檓 down here. We香蕉视频直播檝e seen each other very little. So, you know, emotionally and financially. It香蕉视频直播檚 been a huge strain.香蕉视频直播�
A account has been set up to help with the ongoing medical expenses not covered by benefits. If you want to help, search for 香蕉视频直播淪upport Kristin香蕉视频直播檚 Aggressive Stage 4 Cancer Fight.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播� with a file from Wolf Depner
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