The Pressure is on and the Steel is beginning to Bend!
Look what I found when I opened my email today! I think I now know how Egyptians felt a few days before President Hosni Mubarak gave up the fight - Knowing it wasn't over yet but seeing the sunrise becoming visible on the horizon! My thanks to Wayne Feaver for sharing this with us.
Wayne Feaver21 February 2011 at 13:46
Pressure on province to allow MS treatment
Pressure is increasing for the Ontario government to allow a procedure to treat multiple sclerosis.
Four Chatham-Kent residents, who have each spent thousands of dollars and traveled abroad for the procedure, met with Chatham-Kent's mayor Friday.
All four said their health has improved immensely after having the costly out-of-country procedure, which involves widening a vein in the neck or chest.
Sheila Clements, chair of the local MS chapter, said she is "very impressed'' with the results in those who have had the procedure.
"It should be available here at home,'' she said. "And it is for people that don't have MS.'' Sandra Kniffen, 57, spent nearly $15,000 to travel to India for the treatment in August.
"I can now walk without a cane,'' she said. "I'm less fatigued and I have good balance. Also, both my hands work. It was worth the trip for the treatment.''
Paula Brown, 50, of Chatham, took a second mortgage out on her home to pay the $18,000 for her procedure in Mexico.
Like Kniffen, she has experienced major improvement in her health.
"I don't have the fatigue that I had before the procedure,'' she said. "I used to have to lay down flat during the day. Now I hardly sit down and my balance has improved 70 per cent.''
She said the weakness on her left side has also disappeared.
Wendy Primeau, 46, spent $10,000 for the procedure in India in July. "Before I got around in a wheelchair,'' she said. "Now I use a walker.''
She said she is no longer fatigued and feels bright. "It's too bad we have to travel half way around the world for treatment,'' she said. "And most MS patients couldn't afford it to begin with.''
Rick Francis, 50, spent $12,000 for his procedure in Poland in July.
"My balance is much better and I have the use of my right hand and arm,'' he said.
Francis said his quality of life has improved immensely.
"My fatigue is fixed and my heat intolerance is fixed,'' he said.
All four MS patients said there is no reason why the procedure couldn't be offered at home.
"It's all about politics and dollars,'' said Clements. "Doctors can and do perform the procedure here at home provided their patients don't have MS.''
Mayor Randy Hope said he plans to arrange a meeting with the province's health minister at Queen's Park to push for a veenoplasty procedure that is not available in the province or Canada.
"It doesn't make sense that people have to borrow money and mortgage their homes to get treated out-of- country.''
** Just so we do not end up being called plagiarizers, Wayne tells me he did not write this and I didn't either. My best effort to find its origin - Chatham Daily News (I think).
Pressure is increasing for the Ontario government to allow a procedure to treat multiple sclerosis.
Four Chatham-Kent residents, who have each spent thousands of dollars and traveled abroad for the procedure, met with Chatham-Kent's mayor Friday.
All four said their health has improved immensely after having the costly out-of-country procedure, which involves widening a vein in the neck or chest.
Sheila Clements, chair of the local MS chapter, said she is "very impressed'' with the results in those who have had the procedure.
"It should be available here at home,'' she said. "And it is for people that don't have MS.'' Sandra Kniffen, 57, spent nearly $15,000 to travel to India for the treatment in August.
"I can now walk without a cane,'' she said. "I'm less fatigued and I have good balance. Also, both my hands work. It was worth the trip for the treatment.''
Paula Brown, 50, of Chatham, took a second mortgage out on her home to pay the $18,000 for her procedure in Mexico.
Like Kniffen, she has experienced major improvement in her health.
"I don't have the fatigue that I had before the procedure,'' she said. "I used to have to lay down flat during the day. Now I hardly sit down and my balance has improved 70 per cent.''
She said the weakness on her left side has also disappeared.
Wendy Primeau, 46, spent $10,000 for the procedure in India in July. "Before I got around in a wheelchair,'' she said. "Now I use a walker.''
She said she is no longer fatigued and feels bright. "It's too bad we have to travel half way around the world for treatment,'' she said. "And most MS patients couldn't afford it to begin with.''
Rick Francis, 50, spent $12,000 for his procedure in Poland in July.
"My balance is much better and I have the use of my right hand and arm,'' he said.
Francis said his quality of life has improved immensely.
"My fatigue is fixed and my heat intolerance is fixed,'' he said.
All four MS patients said there is no reason why the procedure couldn't be offered at home.
"It's all about politics and dollars,'' said Clements. "Doctors can and do perform the procedure here at home provided their patients don't have MS.''
Mayor Randy Hope said he plans to arrange a meeting with the province's health minister at Queen's Park to push for a veenoplasty procedure that is not available in the province or Canada.
"It doesn't make sense that people have to borrow money and mortgage their homes to get treated out-of- country.''
** Just so we do not end up being called plagiarizers, Wayne tells me he did not write this and I didn't either. My best effort to find its origin - Chatham Daily News (I think).
