There are still so many injustices done to women in the world – from genital mutilation, arranged marriages, sexual slavery and honour killings – some of these happening right here in our country. Another injustice just came to light today in an email from a friend and client. You may remember a previous blog post where I mentioned a young mother who I had the pleasure of photographing when she was pregnant and right through her son’s first year. She got devastating news last summer that she had developed an aggressive form of breast cancer (HER2 postitive) but caught it at an early enough stage that her prognosis is really good and she has gone through chemo therapy and surgery and only has radiation treatments left to go through. She has been such fighter through this whole ordeal and it doesn’t surprise that already, she is fighting for others as well. And having lost my mother-in-law to this disease, I will fight alongside her!

Today, she let me know of a gap in our health system by sharing another mother’s story. The drug that most likely saved her, Herceptin, is NOT covered if your tumour is smaller than 1cm. Shouldn’t catching cancer early be a good thing? Not having access to the drug is ridiculous. Please read this brave young mother’s story below, then copy the text and send an email to Ontario’s Health Minister Deb Matthews. We may not be able to resolve all the issues women still face today but here is something concrete we CAN do right now. Thank you!

The post below was originally posted on Rethink Breast Cancer:

Funding For Herceptin in Ontario

On December 17th 2010, 34 year old mother of two Jill Anzarut was diagnosed with HER2 positive breast cancer, an aggressive form of breast cancer made especially so by other high risk factors such as her grade 2 cancer, vascular invasion and her young age at diagnosis.

Jill, like many other women in Ontario, is not eligible for a drug that could help save her life, Herceptin, because her tumour was too small and Ontario does not fund Herceptin in Patients with tumours under 1cm.  British Columbia, Alberta  and Nova Scotia all fund Herceptin for all women and it is unjust that Ontario does not do the same.

We are asking you to join us in letting the Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews know that it is not acceptable for her government to deny access to this life-saving drug for Jill and all the other women like her!

Please copy the letter below and click the link to send this letter to Health Minister Deb Matthews. You can make a difference and ensure our voices are heard!

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March 8, 2011

Deb Matthews
Minister of Health and Long Term Care
Hepburn Block, 10th Floor, 80 Grosvenor Street
Toronto, ON M7A2C4
Dmatthews.mpp@liberal.ola.org

Dear Minister Matthews:

I was recently made aware of Jill Anzarut’s situation regarding her HER2 positive breast cancer and the lack of coverage of Herceptin (Trastuzumab) in Ontario.  Jill has been denied access to Herceptin as her tumor was less than 1 cm in size and this is extremely upsetting and unfair and I urge you to reconsider your decision around Herceptin funding in Ontario.

At the recommendation of her oncologists at the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, Jill is seeking treatment of Herceptin which will greatly improve her chance at beating this aggressive cancer.  Jill has a number of high risk factors including grade two cancer, vascular invasion and a young age of diagnosis (34) and deserves access to this important drug for HER2 positive patients.

Herceptin is currently funded for all cases in Alberta,British Columbia and Nova Scotia, and is evaluated for treatmenton a case by case basis in Quebec.  The decision of these provinces is because research data strongly shows the positive effect Herceptin has on outcomes for HER2 positive women like Jill, and size really doesn`t matter.

Jill is a mother of two young children and she deserves the best shot at beating her cancer no matter what province she lives in.  Jill found her breast cancer early through self examination and is now being told she is not eligible for a life-saving drug because she found her cancer too early!  This is not acceptable and is a contradiction with the province of Ontario’s stance on screening and early detection.

To meet her doctor’s treatment recommendation, Jill must privately pay for Herceptin and the private administration of this drug.  This is completely unjust and unacceptable.  All women should have access to Herceptin whether or not they can afford the incredibly lofty cost of paying for it themselves.  How can we ask the women in our community to put a price on their lives?

In 2005 the former Minister of Health, George Smitherman, stated “Herceptin was fast tracked through the review process so it would be made available to cancer patients several months early”.  All patients should have access to this drug that is the only hope for HER2 positive breast cancer.

I urge you to re-visit the data on Herceptin and to follow suit with the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Nova Scotia and make it accessible to all HER2 positive breast cancer patients.

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SEND YOUR LETTER NOW TO: Dmatthews.mpp@liberal.ola.org