Note to Kathleen and cabinet: Health-care problems matter to Northerners

SooToday.com has received the following letter from a loyal Wawa reader. Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and her cabinet will meet in the Sault this week. In a government news release announcing the session, the premier said, "Our government is committed to looking at everything through a Northern lens." The release makes no mention of health care, which consistently ranks as a leading issue in public opinion polling.

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Can anything be done about this issue?

I personally was driving four-five times a month for my father's care when he came back to live in Wawa.

He spent the last three years of his life here, with me as his medical advocate and chauffeur.

I drove him to his specialists in Michigan - oncologist, gastroentrologist, urologist, cardiologist; and his chemotherapy in St. Ignace.

Specialist treatment was unavailable to him then and would still be now resulting many long hours on the road, and many costs as none of this was paid for through health grants, he paid the full bill.

My Dad was able to finally receive five months of chemotherapy in Wawa before his passing in April 2011. 

However, the story is not about my father or my driving experience, only to illustrate that I understand firsthand how crappy the highways can be, and how stressful is it for a family with a member undergoing cancer in the first place, never mind having to travel sometimes weekly for a half hour chemotherapy treatment.

And what do you do if the highways are closed, you had to do blood tests to make sure you were in the right shape for your chemo?

Or you've ended up in the ditch, no car, elderly, so your insurance will not purchase you a new vehicle – Greyhound?

But…

I understand that that although we have a beautiful Chemotherapy Room, there is no treatment done in Wawa.

I know of at least five that are travelling right now for treatment.

It's not too bad in the summer, but in the fall, winter and spring – it can be very treacherous!

As you know from doing your clinics 

We don’t see your faces as often as we'd like, but we understand only too well the difficulties of travelling.

Now do it at the age of 75, driving your 83-year-old husband.

It's enough to turn your hair white, I'm sure just thinking about it.

There have been a number of donations towards the LDHC Oncology Room …

Pat Rose and the bottle drives, fundraisers and family has raised nearly $17,000.

Where did the monies go, and what exactly is the LDHC Oncology Room?

I am grateful for any help,

- Brenda Grundt

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