A Canadian woman was diagnosed with cancer, told she had 2 years to live at most, that she was not a candidate for surgery, then asked if she would like medical help committing suicide? She declined the offer of assisted suicide, came to the U.S., and was treated within weeks, saving her life. Her government health insurance is refusing to pay the costs of her treatment in the U.S.
The surgery cost a lot, but she doesn’t regret getting it, because otherwise, she would have died a painful death, rather than returning to good health. “I feel 100 percent,” she said. “Some days even better. There is nothing I did before I got sick that I can’t do now. I mean, I can ride my bike 15 kilometres and go have dinner with friends and ride home afterwards. I can golf 18 holes without feeling tired. I started running again and I haven’t run for 10 years.”
Global News reports:
Ducluzeau said she spent more than $200,000 for the surgery, chemotherapy, scans, travel and accommodation. But she would have preferred to have the care at home.
“I would have much preferred to have been able to have this care at home where I could have had the support of friends and family and my husband could have as well because half the time I was out of it,” she said. “But he was there by himself in a strange city, caring for someone and terrified about my well-being.”…..
Ducluzeau is trying to apply to have her medical bills funded by BC Cancer, considering she had to travel out of the province for care. However, the letter states “the services you chose to receive in the U.S. would not have been the recommended treatment for your cancer diagnosis.”
The BC Cancer Agency is refusing to provide documentation that would allow Ducluzeau to be reimbursed for the cost of out-of-country care, citing she did not proceed with additional investigations, such as a colonoscopy and laparoscopy.
“Universal healthcare really doesn’t exist,” Ducluzeau said. “My experience is it’s ‘do it yourself’ health care and GoFundMe health care.
