A Saskatchewan family says getting funding for their daughter’s life-saving medication is a huge relief.
Just months ago, 19-year-old Emilie Samson was fighting for her life, as tumors on her brainstem and spinal cord left her in excruciating pain and hindered her ability to walk.
Now, she’s out of the hospital and able to move around without a walker.
Her parents, Michelle and Noel Samson, say medication she started three months ago has been effective in shrinking her tumors.
“To find out that it’s working has been, just such a breath of fresh air,” Michelle Samson said in an interview with CTV News.
The Samsons say when their daughter was first on the medication, called Belzutifan, provincial funding was not available for the roughly $21, 000 a month drug because Emilie didn’t have an official diagnosis.
That’s when their community stepped up to help fund it for the first few months.
“We had so much support from family and friends and loved ones and people that we don’t even know that I don’t know how we’re ever going to repay them,” Noel Samson said.
The Samsons also planned on selling their home to help cover some costs. But since the medication has been proven effective for Emilie’s condition, the Samsons say the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency has agreed to fund the rest of her treatment.
They hope Emilie’s story will inspire others who are struggling with their health to keep moving forward.
“Take it day by day. It might not look like you’re getting anywhere, but just keep advocating for your loved one, and hopefully something good will happen,” Michelle Samson said.
The Samsons say Emilie is in good spirits and is working towards getting stronger.
