Brain cancer widow calls for equitable access to chemotherapy treatment in Canada
Global News
'He wasn't working ... I was with him, self-employed, no benefits. And we found out that his chemotherapy wasn't covered,' said Jessica Soares of her husband's battle with cancer.
When Jessica Soares of Beeton, Ont., lost her beloved husband Paulo, affectionately known as ‘Paul,’ he was only 39 years old.
“His battle was 31 months, and that was with two craniotomies, 53 rounds of radiation and 18 months worth of chemotherapy,” she said.
The long and difficult journey started on a typical Sunday afternoon.
“It was sudden. There was no warning prior. We were at home … He looked at me. He was unable to communicate, and I saw him start to drift to one side and I just scooped him up and I got him onto the couch and then we had to do an emergency run to Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie,” recalled Soares.
She was shocked to learn there was a “nine centimeter mass on his left frontal lobe” and it was determined Paul had brain cancer.
That would be the first of several shocks.
“He wasn’t working because he was recovering. I was with him, self-employed, no benefits. And we found out that his chemotherapy wasn’t covered,” she said.
As his caregiver, Soares shared little of her battle to access critical life prolonging treatment for Paul with him. She wanted him to focus on getting well while she petitioned his insurance to help cover the cost of the drug.
