A Quin family has vowed not to give up on their fight to gain access to a life-saving cancer treatment.
Maria Meade was diagnosed with cancer last April and has since gone through surgery, but now needs a treatment which will cost in the region of 150,000 euro.
Quin mother of four Maria Meade was diagnosed as having aggressive melanomas last April and within a matter of days underwent surgery as part of her treatment.
She’s now cancer free, but has been advised to begin an immunotherapy treatment with Pembrolizumab, a drug that has been lauded by Limerick woman Vicky Phelan, who has campaigned for it to be made available to cancer patients.
The cost for a year’s treatment, however, is €150,000, and this is not covered by her health insurance.
The matter has been raised in the Dáil by Clare Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe, who is calling for a Department of Health to address the issue for Maria, and patients in a similar situation.
Maria’s husband Tom is now pleading with the incoming Health Minister to make access to the state-of-the-art treatment a priority as soon as the next Government is formed.
He says the situation is weighing heavily on his family’s mind, and has vowed that they will find the money required, no matter what.
Tom says they simply have no other option.
