Bureaucratic Health Care Delays Cost Young Mother her Life

QUEEN’S PARK – Sharon Shamblaw of St. Mary’s tragically passed away last week after a long battle with acute myeloid leukemia, a blood and bone marrow cancer. Ms. Shamblaw was slated to receive a potentially life-saving transplant from a Buffalo hospital, unfortunately bureaucratic red tape delayed the procedure. 

“Ms. Shamblaw’s cancer – which was in remission – had returned, requiring the transplant to be cancelled. After it was decided the transplant was necessary, it took more than 130 days to have the transplant approved,” said Leader of the Official Opposition Patrick Brown during Question Period. “130 days for a medically necessary transplant that could have saved Ms. Shamblaw’s life.”

Once Ms. Shamblaw’s cancer returned, the province refused to cover the cost of the transplant. International standards dictate that patients receive their transplant within three months of their diagnosis. Ms. Shamblaw was forced to wait for longer than four months.

As a result of waitlists and insufficient funding by the Liberal Government, large quantities of patients from across the province are forced to travel to American hospitals for stem cell transplants.  

“It’s too late for Ms. Shamblaw, but will this government promise that not one more life will be lost because of bureaucratic red tape and delays waiting for transplants?” Brown concluded.

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