'If it was my child, I'd be using it.’: A Strathroy family is faced with paying their own way for immunotherapy
Last November, 24-year-old Kyle McPhee was diagnosed with fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma, "It started in my liver and it's, kind of, spread to other parts. Mostly pockets in my lungs."
The cancer targets young people with normal liver function and no known risk factors. It is extremely rare.
"Maybe two thousand people in the world,” said Kim McPhee, Kyle’s mom. “In Canada, maybe 200 a year. They can't get studies because there aren't enough people."
That's the catch for the McPhee family. They've been told by Kyle’s oncologist and other health professionals that immunotherapy may be the best course of action for Kyle. However, there hasn't been any research about the effectiveness of the treatment on the form of cancer he has.
It has worked for other rare forms of cancer. That’s why Kyle’s dad, Paul, was puzzled when he learned his family couldn’t get funding approval through OHIP.
"Our oncologist said to us, 'If it was my child, I'd be using it,’" said Paul.
The funding approval would be for two drugs, Atezolizumab and Bevacizumab, used in combination for the immunotherapy treatment.
They are treatments, Paul McPhee revealed, that cost $9,000 per session.
"It's when it's expensive, like this one, they have to go through an approval process, get financing for it and it's like… yeah,” he added.
The McPhee's are now trying to raise enough money on their own for four treatments over four months, hoping that a $36,000 investment will show promise and open the door to at least partial OHIP funding for ongoing treatments.
Kyle admitted there are no guarantees with the strategy, "There's still the chance that, even if it does work, they would still say no. That's kind of... That doesn't make much sense to me."
In the interim, Kyle's aunt has started a GoFundMe page and Kyle is undergoing chemotherapy.
As for what's next? Paul McPhee chokes back his emotions when that question is raised.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.