In June, 2005 I wrote a letter to the Minister of Health, Hon. George Smitherman that explained the need and urgency to fund gastric pacing devices for patients with severe gastroparesis.
For humanitarian reasons alone, this should be an insured procedure.
My letter was followed by many others sent by family, friends, friends-of-friends. This was accompanied by a postcard campaign. The postcards, addressed to the Minister said:
Our Ontario Government must commit to funding Gastric Pacemakers.
All cards included the sender's name, complete address and signature.
Hundreds of postcards were sent to the Ministry of Health offices in Toronto. Postcards were sent by people who maybe didn't know me, but knew about me and my poor condition. Postcards were a great way for someone to say they support the lobby to have the surgery and device insured.
It's a matter of life and death.
All cards included the sender's name, complete address and signature.
Hundreds of postcards were sent to the Ministry of Health offices in Toronto. Postcards were sent by people who maybe didn't know me, but knew about me and my poor condition. Postcards were a great way for someone to say they support the lobby to have the surgery and device insured.
A copy of every letter was sent to various MPP's, the hospital administration and me. Before I mailed batch loads of postcards, I copied them and delivered them to hospital admin with the letters.
Grateful is not a strong enough word to describe my thanks to all who participated in the campaign. It is inspiring to have so much support. It is heart-warming to know that so many people wish that I could be well again.
In July, I received a letter from the Acting-Director of Hospitals, Peter Finkle, denying my request because he'd been advised that gastric pacing devices were considered an experimental treatment and not the standard of care in Ontario.
Not the standard of care? A treatment is available that improves the quality of life of the patient, has been proven clinically to be effective, and reduces downstream health care costs for that patient, and the Ontario Ministry of Health chooses not to use the treatment?
While I had the pacemaker, I led a normal life, had a diet that included a wide variety of foods and felt well. But feeling well is not the standard of care in Ontario for a patient like me.
No, 'tis better to have me suffer continuous nausea, daily vomiting, additional risks to health, and a low quality of life for me, my husband and our children.
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