A Vancouver Island cancer patient who gave up on the provincial healthcare system in favour of life-saving treatment in Washington State, will get to spend Christmas with her family and ring in the New Year.

Campbell River含羞草研究社檚 Kristin Logan suspects that would not have happened if she had stuck with British Columbia含羞草研究社檚 backed-up system.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 coming out (of rounds of treatment) and surgery just in time for the holidays,含羞草研究社� Logan said from the University of Washington Medical Centre in Seattle. 含羞草研究社淢y husband and my daughter will be down here as well. My brother and my niece will be here. So, we含羞草研究社檒l have a big, kind of, family Christmas.含羞草研究社�

In the middle of her ongoing struggle for cancer treatment, Logan is urging British Columbians to speak out for change and demand better of what she considers the province含羞草研究社檚 poorly-managed system.

Logan sought treatment for her stage-4 ovarian cancer which was diagnosed back in September. This after six months of reporting symptoms to her doctor. Chemotherapy was ordered, and she was informed there would be a three-to-four-month wait for surgery and six weeks before chemotherapy could start. Then, a few weeks after the diagnosis, she was informed that there was no record of the referral.

Because of the delays and because Logan is a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen and a veteran, she decided to go to Washington where her parents live and secure medical treatment there under her veteran benefits.

Logan would have been happy to get treatment in B.C., where she wouldn含羞草研究社檛 have had to endure the emotional impact of getting treatment out of the province and enduring it alone.

含羞草研究社淚t would have certainly been helpful to be at home,含羞草研究社� Logan said. 含羞草研究社淲hen you含羞草研究社檙e going through cancer, you know, there含羞草研究社檚 the emotional impact of that and, I mean, there were moments through this process 含羞草研究社� I came down here because I was very far advanced 含羞草研究社� that I was not sure I was going to live and to continue to go through that and have that scare without my husband and daughter by my side was brutal.含羞草研究社�

Logan has managed to garner public and media attention for her situation and will continue to do so because she knows she含羞草研究社檚 not the only one endangered by what she calls systemic problems.

含羞草研究社淚 think it含羞草研究社檚 time for us to really make our voices heard in every way we can to get these problems resolved. Quickly,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淚t is mismanagement, it含羞草研究社檚 bureaucracy, it含羞草研究社檚 too many layers of red tape and not enough looking at what含羞草研究社檚 going to be efficient and effective in terms of how we含羞草研究社檙e managing and spending on our health care.含羞草研究社�

Her case came to the attention of B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix.

含羞草研究社淭he healthcare system doesn含羞草研究社檛 always get it right, and that含羞草研究社檚 why we have this set up and people can, as well, raise these issues 含羞草研究社� and this has been done in this case publicly,含羞草研究社� he told Global News.

His answer infuriated Logan.

含羞草研究社淭o suggest that the system merely 含羞草研究社榙oesn含羞草研究社檛 always get it right含羞草研究社� is a gross understatement, bordering on denial. Our healthcare system isn含羞草研究社檛 tripping over minor hurdles; it含羞草研究社檚 plummeting off a cliff. We含羞草研究社檙e not dealing with 含羞草研究社榦ccasional misses含羞草研究社�; we含羞草研究社檙e grappling with a chronically diseased system where inefficiency and neglect have become the norm.

Just 75 per cent of cancer patients are receiving radiation therapy within the Canadian benchmark of 28 days, according to B.C. Cancer Agency data, a drop from 77 per cent in May. The national average is 97 per cent.

Logan含羞草研究社檚 case has connected her to others in similar situations. She also drew attention to the case of Dan Quayle, a Victoria man with a Campbell River stepdaughter. Quayle chose medical assistance in dying (MAiD) because he didn含羞草研究社檛 receive chemotherapy and treatment in time.

含羞草研究社淭he stepfather, was just, he couldn含羞草研究社檛 wait anymore. He ended up electing MAiD because he was suffering for so long.

It has also caught the attention of the provincial opposition. BC United含羞草研究社檚 Shirley Bond, shadow minister for health care, has been critical of current developments, including B.C. contracting two clinics in the United States for British Columbians to receive radiation treatment.

含羞草研究社淭he crisis is so dire that we are sending patients to other countries for treatment 含羞草研究社� and even then, some patients are choosing to fund their own care in the U.S. because they cannot get through BC Cancer fast enough, 含羞草研究社� Bond said.

Meanwhile, Logan含羞草研究社檚 treatment at the University of Washington has been encouraging. Chemotherapy is having a big impact on her tumour markers, dropping to levels that have everyone encouraged. She has more treatments to come and will be going in for surgery in two weeks.

Logan and her husband Donovan James are both self-employed business owners. Besides the medical challenge Logan faces, the family含羞草研究社檚 economic stability and security is in jeopardy because they have lost her income.

含羞草研究社淕etting the cancer and having to come down to the States has been extraordinarily financially disruptive,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 been an enormous financial strain.

含羞草研究社淥ur daughter含羞草研究社檚 in university now. The three of us are completely separated. She含羞草研究社檚 in Nanaimo, he含羞草研究社檚 in Campbell River, I含羞草研究社檓 down here. We含羞草研究社檝e seen each other very little. So, you know, emotionally and financially. It含羞草研究社檚 been a huge strain.含羞草研究社�

A account has been set up to help with the ongoing medical expenses not covered by benefits. If you want to help, search for 含羞草研究社淪upport Kristin含羞草研究社檚 Aggressive Stage 4 Cancer Fight.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社� with a file from Wolf Depner

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