{"id":295600,"date":"2023-08-03T06:40:55","date_gmt":"2023-08-03T11:40:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=295600"},"modified":"2023-08-02T15:38:12","modified_gmt":"2023-08-02T20:38:12","slug":"british-columbia-denies-meds-woman-breast-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/british-columbia-denies-meds-woman-breast-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"As medically assisted deaths rise, British Columbia denies meds to woman with breast cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"
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After British Columbia saw an “alarming” 24% rise<\/a> in euthanasia deaths in 2022, one woman with stage 4 breast cancer is fighting back<\/a> against the government for failing to fund her treatment because she has been deemed “incurable.”<\/p>\n

According to Cheknews<\/a>, Kim Angell has survived for two and a half years with metastatic breast cancer, which has an average lifespan of two to three years. A PET scan recently confirmed in May that the cancer has progressed and that she would need to switch to a different medication. That medication, Enhertu, is not funded by British Columbia, but she was able to access it through a program with the company AstraZeneca. Enhertu carries a side effect of neutropenia, which can be treated with Filgrastim, but BC Pharmacare will not cover Filgrastim because of Angell’s status as incurable.<\/p>\n

This means neither of her medications is covered by government-run health care.<\/p>\n

“Just because we may be living with Stage 4 cancer and are no longer considered curable, we still deserve access to those treatments because our lives are important,” said Angell.<\/p>\n

Six weeks of Filgrastim is costing Angell $500. She wrote a letter to B.C. Premier David Eby and Health Minister Adrian Dix, in which she shared her story and how the government-run health insurance will not cover the medication.<\/p>\n

In a statement to CHEK News, the Ministry of Health said that Filgrastim is available under \u201cspecial authority\u201d as long as the patient meets certain criteria established in coalition with BC Cancer. Angell said she does not meet any of the seven criteria.<\/p>\n

“I feel like my life doesn’t matter,” she said. “I want action.”<\/p>\n

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@kim_angell<\/a> Just out here living life to the fullest between chemo\u2728\ufe0f #metastaticbreastcancer<\/a> #mbc<\/a> #stage4cancer<\/a> #cancer<\/a> #thriver<\/a> #livelifenow<\/a> #beautifulmoments<\/a> \u266c Pumpin Blood (The Jane Doze Remix) – NONONO<\/a><\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n