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From YouTube: NOV 23 2022 Statements Coralee Oakes
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
3rd Session
42nd Parliament
A
Member
for
Caribou
North,
Mr
Speaker,
multiple
myeloma
is
the
second
most
common
form
of
blood
cancer.
It
affects
a
type
of
immune
cell,
called
the
plasma
cell
found
in
bone
marrow
and
every
day
10
Canadians
are
diagnosed
with
this
life-altering
disease.
While
there
is
no
cure,
people
are
living
longer
and
better
lives.
Thanks
to
recent
breakthroughs
in
treatment,
however,
to
find
a
cure,
more
funding
and
research
are
required.
A
A
One
of
the
current
treatments
is
a
stem
cell
transplant
and
it
involves
a
procedure
to
collect
the
cells
and
then
freeze
them
until
transplant
time.
The
patient
is
then
given
a
high
dose
of
chemotherapy
in
the
form
of
a
drug
called
melplin.
This
will
destroy
the
bone
marrow
and
hopefully
the
cancer
with
it.
The
rescue
is
when
the
stem
cells
are
then
infused
back
into
the
patient
to
start
the
regrowth
of
the
bone
marrow
and
the
immune
system.
A
This
treatment
has
many
risks,
as
it
leaves
the
patient.
A
very
vulnerable
until
the
engraftment
of
the
cells
produces
immune
competence
for
patients
in
British
Columbia.
The
only
place
to
receive
this
light.
Preserving
treatment
is
the
Vancouver
General
Hospital
and
for
patients
in
the
north
it
means
a
cost
of
travel,
accommodation
and
supportive
medications.
A
More
than
ten
thousand
dollars
out
of
pocket
for
the
month-long
state
in
Vancouver
to
receive
the
transplant
and
recover
enough
to
be
considered
immune,
competent
patients
from
rural
areas
deserve
this
treatment
as
much
as
anyone
else,
and
their
location
should
not
be
a
hindrance
to
obtaining
this
treatment.
We
need
a
better
solution
than
patients
trying
to
raise
funds
themselves
or
put
their
families
further
into
debt.
We
need
to
help
for
help
patients
in
northern
BC,
who
must
travel
for
these
life-saving
treatments
only
available
in
Vancouver.