Herceptin probably saved my life: A letter to Health Minister Deb Matthews

The powerful letter below was sent to us by one of our friend Hayley Mezei. Hayley was in our first Support Saturdays group and is a volunteer with our Peer Support program! Please feel free to draft your own letter to Mrs. Matthews or copy and paste the one we have created on our site. 

Dear Minister Matthews,

Six years ago I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. A biopsy revealed that the tumor was HER2 positive. I was 38 at the time and 6 months pregnant with my first child. Fortunately for me I was directed to Sunnybrook hospital and put in the charge of Dr Maureen Trudeau, a staunch advocate for Herceptin treatment for women just like me.

It may very well be that I am alive today because I was provided with Herceptin, which had only 3 months prior to my diagnosis, come under funding from OHIP. My first surgery removed a tumor that was 1.3 cm. What if it had been 3 mm smaller? Would I be writing you this letter today?    

As someone who has been touched by cancer, I have been following the story of Jill Anzarut – a wife and mother in Ontario who urgently needs access to Herceptin.  I am writing to you to request that Jill immediately be provided this medication through public funding to treat her breast cancer so that she may live to see her children grow, just as I have been given the chance to see our son Elliot grow to be a healthy almost six year old joy. 

I implore you to ensure that Jill receives Herceptin now Minister Matthews. You have the power to make sure that she, and the other women in Ontario who are in the same position, get the medical care that they need.

I look forward to hearing back from you.

Sincerely,
Hayley Mezei

SEND YOUR LETTER NOW TO: Dmatthews.mpp@liberal.ola.org