Help arrives for cancer patient stranded after canceled trial

[pstokely]

Source: KMBC

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —A Lee's Summit, Mo., man who had been stuck at a federal hospital in Maryland because of the federal government's shutdown, may now have a way to get back to Kansas City.

Jason Bertschy has a rare form of bladder cancer and was hoping to join a special clinical treatment at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. When he arrived on Tuesday, he learned that the shutdown is preventing the National Institutes of Health from starting any new clinical trials.

"We're stuck here," said Beth Bertschy, his wife. "And I'm just, you know, trying to get him home."

The NIH said it doesn't have any money to start any new trials.

"Since then, we've been told he's no longer eligible for the trial. He has to go home for hospice. There's nothing more they can do for him," she said.

She said her husband's situation is complicated by his condition. He must be constantly connected to special suction tubes, so he can't take a commercial flight back to Kansas City.



Read more: http://www.kmbc.com/news/kansas-city/shutdown-leaves-cancer-patient-without-trial-way-home/-/11664182/22261000/-/11r9vnh/-/index.html

[marble falls]

1. Eleven months ago I had a bladder cancer removed. I feel so much for this man and ....

totally helpless at the same time. Meanwhile Congress is getting pay checks and free hair cuts and cheap dry cleaning and multiple camera ops and sound bite requests and can go to any hospital at any time. And can laugh and giggle all they want over their killing stunt. This is coming back to bite them.

[The_Boss89]

2. I Live in Lee's Summit!

I wish there was something I could for my neighbor in his time of need. I tried calling my congressmen Sam Graves each and everyday to allow a clean CR but he won't budge. This makes me sick to my stomach. Lee's Summit was split into two districts because of gerrymandering in 2011. Lawmakers in Jefferson City created a teardrop into Lee's Summit to take away Democratic votes from Emmanuel Cleaver. They want to send him to hospice care when he could have life saving help in Maryland. I really hope this doctors at KU Med can help him.

[Botany]

3. Now where is Rep. Neugebauer to ask about having any shame?

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/randy-neugebauer-slams-memorial-ranger-97804.html?hp=r6


The N.I.H. saved a family member's life last year .... he had a rumor tumor and they got it out
and treated him ...... but now this poor guy is told to go home and then go into hospice care.

[24601]

4. Nothing stops the President from announcing, "I have personally determined that this clinical

trial is of equal mission criticality as other functions I have kept open. They are directed to restart in order to protect lives. If Congress doesn't like it, I double-dog dare you to impeach me, convict me and replace me with Joe. So bend over and take it or STFU!"

[24601]

5. Sorry about replying to my own post but I feel strongly about adding this context. I'm a furloughed

federal employee since Tuesday morning. We paying for two kids (18 & 20) in school. Scholarships & financial aid help but our out of pocket costs are still pretty high. My wife, a teacher with a Master's in Special Ed isn't working and isn't likely to be soon since she's in cardio rehab from open heart surgery three months ago.

Needless to say, we are in a negative cash flow situation.

But without reservation, the clinical trial for Mr. Bertschy is more mission critical than returning me to work so that we can pay our mortgage and school bills, and normal household expenses.

Mission critical activities are those that relate to the most important national security functions lives and protect federal properties from theft, vandalism etc. I equate his clinical trial with the necessity of keeping police on the job, even though their pay check will be delayed.

Don't want to, but we CAN live without the house. Don't want to but the kids CAN drop and hopefully restart school later. But Mr. Bertschy might not be able to live without the trial and that's just more important.

There, I said it.