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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, November 6, 2013 | 6 Oakville's Bryce Smith, along with Milton's Kimm Fletcher, should not have to publicly plead for a drug they believe will prolong their lives. These people need to spend all of their energy ghting a deadly form of brain cancer. For Bryce's story see p.8 of today's Oakville Beaver. For Kimm's, visit www. insidehalton.com. No one in this fragile state needs the hassle of wondering how they and their beloved family are going to pay for a drug called Avastin that could give them the precious time they so desperately want and deserve. What kind of a system do we have in Ontario where a young mom meets with Health Minister Deb Matthews to beg for funding to pay for the cost of a drug? Where the mother of another feels the sting of a reply that is more about science and money, rather than love. Avastin is covered for brain cancer treatment, speci cally glioblastoma multiforme, in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. However, in Ontario you are out of luck. That just does not make sense. As an added kicker, Ontario will pay for the drug for colorectal cancer treatment -- a funding decision made by the province's drug evaluation committee. Apparently, these experts don't hold the same viewpoint as their counterparts out West. Anyone who has fought cancer or has a family member battling the disease knows it is not the time to pile on more stress. Worrying about how to come up with the $48,000 required to cover the infusion of Avastin, over six months, is unnecessarily cruel. "If this gives me an extra year to live, to love my husband and play with my children, I want that opportunity," Fletcher said in an interview. "Even if it's too late for me to get funding, I want the next person in my situation to be able to live a longer life." She is so gracious to be thinking of others while leading her own ght. Meanwhile, Smith's mom Lyn says of Matthews' response, "I'd ask her what she would do? Would she sit back and say it's ne that the government doesn't do this? It's easy to say when it's not somebody you love. These people are our elected representatives and they are supposed to represent the people's needs. Well, there are people suffering out there and what they need is their help." Through fundraisers, both Fletcher and Smith have collected money, but they and their families should not have to be fundraising just so they can have extra time with their family. We need to show these residents of our communities much-needed compassion. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said the Liberal government can spend $1.1 billion to save ve seats in the 2011 election by relocating gas plants, but can't spend thousands of dollars to cover the cost of a drug to extend a person's life. We agree with Horwath and hope that changes to funding this drug are made swiftly. That said, we don't envy the position of the drug evaluation committee. There is no magical answer when it comes to the number and type of drugs used in the treatment of cancer and its various forms. But if you are the mom of two youngsters or a young man in his prime, every single moment is incredibly special. If Avastin can prolong their life in any measurable way, they should not be denied funding of this drug. What's needed is compassion Editorial "Connected to your Community" 447 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 51 | Number 132 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor Oakville's Turtle Jack's Line Cook Brent Keighley, right, and Floor Manager Inder Lamba, along with fellow Trafalgar Presbyterian congregant Mike Scott, were out Saturday to assist Eileen Darjes and Richard Darjes in building a wheelchair ramp. Eileen, a restaurant regular, has a rare brain disease that has affected her mobility. | photo by Nikki Wesley ­ Oakville Beaver ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production Restaurant returns the favour for regulars Turtle Jack's Line Cook Brent Keighley and Floor Manager Inder Lamba, along with fellow Trafalgar Presbyterian congregant Mike Scott were out Saturday to assist Oakville native Eileen (Cargill) Darjes, 57, and Richard Darjes, 63, in building a wheelchair ramp at their Sixth Line home. Eileen was diagnosed with a rare brain disease called super cial siderosis that has severely affected her mobility and con ned her to a wheelchair. SANDY PARE MARK DILLS The Darjes are frequent patrons of Turtle Jack's restaurant at Trafalgar Road and Dundas Street, where manager Nina Lamba -- upon learning they were going to be building a wheelchair ramp -- volunteered some of her staff to help with the job for Random Act of Kindness Day. "It brought tears to my eyes that they would come and help," said Eileen. MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Re: Zombie crime prevention campaign disturbing, Oakville Beaver, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013. It's not often that letters to the editor are snort invoking, but the above letter did just that. Needless to say, I could not disagree more. I commend the Halton Region Police for what I feel is a thought-provoking, interesting and valuable ad campaign. One that certainly grabs your attention, and Zombie crime prevention campaign is genius Letter to the Editor Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Zombie campaign has found fans in this family Re: Zombie crime prevention campaign disturbing, Oakville Beaver, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013. We as a family thought this Halton Regional Police campaign was quite clever. We have the page from the paper on our fridge for all to see. makes you go `hmm'. Don't be a Zombie? Genius. But traumatizing? That's quite a stretch. For those who may be `traumatized' by harmless posters, (which truth be told are far less `scary' then many of the TV shows on children's networks today), lock your doors, shut your blinds and turn off your lights. I can't imagine how horri ed you felt when you see the children of Halton dressed up at Halloween. Laura Skelton, Oakville Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Well done, we say. We hope that more people contact the paper in defence of this initiative so that Halton Police Services know that there are Haltonians who applaud this campaign. Cobbold Family, Oakville The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to; ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline.