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害羞草研究所檚 Kristin Logan suspects that would not have happened if she had stuck with British Columbia害羞草研究所檚 backed-up system.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 coming out (of rounds of treatment) and surgery just in time for the holidays,害羞草研究所� Logan said from the University of Washington Medical Centre in Seattle. 害羞草研究所淢y husband and my daughter will be down here as well. My brother and my niece will be here. So, we害羞草研究所檒l have a big, kind of, family Christmas.害羞草研究所�

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害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檛 have had to endure the emotional impact of getting treatment out of the province and enduring it alone.

害羞草研究所淚t would have certainly been helpful to be at home,害羞草研究所� Logan said. 害羞草研究所淲hen you害羞草研究所檙e going through cancer, you know, there害羞草研究所檚 the emotional impact of that and, I mean, there were moments through this process 害羞草研究所� I came down here because I was very far advanced 害羞草研究所� 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.害羞草研究所�

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

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

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

害羞草研究所淭he healthcare system doesn害羞草研究所檛 always get it right, and that害羞草研究所檚 why we have this set up and people can, as well, raise these issues 害羞草研究所� and this has been done in this case publicly,害羞草研究所� he told Global News.

His answer infuriated Logan.

害羞草研究所淭o suggest that the system merely 害羞草研究所榙oesn害羞草研究所檛 always get it right害羞草研究所� is a gross understatement, bordering on denial. Our healthcare system isn害羞草研究所檛 tripping over minor hurdles; it害羞草研究所檚 plummeting off a cliff. We害羞草研究所檙e not dealing with 害羞草研究所榦ccasional misses害羞草研究所�; we害羞草研究所檙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害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檛 receive chemotherapy and treatment in time.

害羞草研究所淭he stepfather, was just, he couldn害羞草研究所檛 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害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淭he crisis is so dire that we are sending patients to other countries for treatment 害羞草研究所� 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, 害羞草研究所� Bond said.

Meanwhile, Logan害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 economic stability and security is in jeopardy because they have lost her income.

害羞草研究所淕etting the cancer and having to come down to the States has been extraordinarily financially disruptive,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been an enormous financial strain.

害羞草研究所淥ur daughter害羞草研究所檚 in university now. The three of us are completely separated. She害羞草研究所檚 in Nanaimo, he害羞草研究所檚 in Campbell River, I害羞草研究所檓 down here. We害羞草研究所檝e seen each other very little. So, you know, emotionally and financially. It害羞草研究所檚 been a huge strain.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所� with a file from Wolf Depner

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