Podbaydoor
Archer Avenue Resident
"The only thing stupider than a chicken is a pickle." - B. Hinkle
Posts: 321
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Post by Podbaydoor on Sept 9, 2008 12:46:46 GMT -5
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Podbaydoor
Archer Avenue Resident
"The only thing stupider than a chicken is a pickle." - B. Hinkle
Posts: 321
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Post by Podbaydoor on Sept 12, 2008 3:10:29 GMT -5
Small update; in 5 days they managed to raise 22.000,- We are now also writing the Governor in Alabama, to raise awareness of his son's situation. Alabama Governor Bob Riley's Office Mailing Address State Capitol 600 Dexter Avenue Montgomery, Alabama 36130 Governor's Office Telephone Numbers Switchboard: (334) 242-7100 Fax: (334) 353-0004 www.governor.alabama.gov/contact/contact_form.aspxHere's a sample email I wrote; Dear Governor Riley,
By now you have already heard of a little boy named Brett, who's family is trying hard to raise enough money for treatment of a very rare form of cancer.
Brett's father, Joe Jackson, posted his request for help on an online forum. On one such forum, all the members responded by sending whatever they could his way. So far, they've managed to raise just over 1/5 of what is needed. Several of us have also posted these to other forums we frequent and more help has come from there.
Governor Riley, this treatment has a very good chance of halting the process of the cancer and even sending Brett into remission, effectively saving his life. I have a son myself, and I cannot imagine what it must be like for his family, to know there is a treatment out there that may very well save their son, but that they cannot afford it.
Governor Riley, it is my understanding that you are a man of influence when it comes to Medicaid (the "insurance" Brett is on.) and as a political official. I ask that you please do what is in your power to help Brett and his family.
To learn more about Brett and the details of the situation please feel free to visit the following websites.
mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=397&f=3038&t=2926453 www.freewebs.com/windowshopping/howyoucanhelp.htm www.carepages.com/carepages/brettjackson/patient
Thank you for your time.
With kind regards,
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Post by Lom83 on Sept 12, 2008 4:07:52 GMT -5
Gosh im sorry to hear about that #sad# I hope they manage to raise the 100k...
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Podbaydoor
Archer Avenue Resident
"The only thing stupider than a chicken is a pickle." - B. Hinkle
Posts: 321
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Post by Podbaydoor on Sept 17, 2008 4:41:17 GMT -5
My friend has posted an update. You can help, by emailing the Hospital or even the governor. Thank you for your time. ---------------- www.carepages.com/carepages/brettjackson/updates/1721576You will NOT believe this
Sloan-Kettering Hospital has been contacted by the media and they in turn expressed a desire for us to back off trying to contact the media (From what we were told they were nervous of potential bad publicity). Brett did qualify for the study in New York but because of the Medicaid issues he couldn't be transferred there. Dr Khahoo is now saying that Brett did NOT qualify because the flow study wasn't long enough. This is not so. Brett's flow study went very well. The flow study was very painful on him and the doctors at Children's Hospital did it long enough to get the information they needed. After Sloan-Kettering found out about the Medicaid issue they started putting up road blocks. They were very excited to have him up there, until they found out about Medicaid. And now, after being contacted by the media they have come up with this excuse. We have a very good portion of they money they said it would cost. They could even ship the antibodies here for our doctors in Alabama to give to Brett (for compassionate use). And they are even refusing to do that. The story here is that this big hospital in New York is willing to let our son, (a 9 year old boy) die because of money issues (money that we have and are more than willing to give to them). In this country, a hospital's greed should not be sufficient reason to let a beautiful 9 year old boy die. Here is Dr Khahoo's email. khakooy@mskcc.org please contact her and the head of the Dept who is Dr. Kramer at kramerk@mskcc.org and ask them why they will not let this boy have the treatment that can help him and extend his life.. We are now more than ever concentrating on getting Brett the help. This is our son. We are doing everything we know how. We love this boy more than we can express. We do not want him to die over a hospital's greed. The New York Times is involved and after they contacted Sloan-Kettering Hospital is when this started about her telling us to back off. We have hit a nerve and it's all about their study, money and bad publicity. Please please help us with us. Also here is the email address for The New York Times feedback@nytimes.com Thank you so much for doing all you can to help this 9 year old boy have a chance at life. It means so much to us. Words just can not express it. Joe Jackson ------ Dr. Khahoo's email address and phone number at Columbia University is: ymk1@columbia.edu +1 212 939 4035 Dr. Harold Varmus, President Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center 1275 York Avenue New York, New York 10065 +1 212 639 2000
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Post by meowencrazy on Sept 17, 2008 6:57:25 GMT -5
This is DISGUSTING! I cant believe the docs are doing this
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Podbaydoor
Archer Avenue Resident
"The only thing stupider than a chicken is a pickle." - B. Hinkle
Posts: 321
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Post by Podbaydoor on Sept 17, 2008 12:14:52 GMT -5
This is DISGUSTING! I cant believe the docs are doing this Welcome to America, insurances are businesses who want to make profit and don't care for peoples health, and now these doctors want to prevent bad publicity. Here are 2 sample emails you may copy, edit, and send khakooy@mskcc.org, kramerk@mskcc.org, ymk1@columbia.edu, publicaffairs@mskcc.org, Dear Dr. Y. Kakoo, This letter is to express my concerns about a patient you by now have heard about. His name is Brett Jackson. He's a little boy from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, with Neurocutaneous Melanosis with Leptomeningeal Melanoma. Now it's my understanding that Sloan Kettering would be able to help this boy, but unfortunately medicaid won't pay for this procedure, since it's still a clinical trail. The Jackson family really wants to pursue this treatment, after all Brett qualified for the study, his flow study went very well. They have been working around the clock raising the $ 100.000 needed. Only to find out that Sloan Kettering is unwilling to take this boy in. Not only that, Sloan Kettering won't even ship the antibodies to the doctors in Alabama to give to Brett for compassionate use. I'm writing this email to ask you and Sloan Kettering to take Brett Jackson in for treatment as soon as possible. Thank you for your time. With kind regards, Dear Dr. Khahoo and Dr. Kramer, I'm sure you have received many emails from people over the last few days regarding Brett Jackson so I'll keep this brief. I am writing because there is a a boy's life at stake and there is a treatment that can help him. I am not a member of his family, nor have I ever met them. I only know of their story because we post on the same website (although I have never actually seen any of Joe's postings until a couple days ago), but that did not stop me from donating $50 to help him raise the money needed to save his son's life. Please, please, think of the life that is at stake instead of the money it would cost. Imagine if you were in Joe's shoes and it were your kid that was being withheld treatment. You would do everything in your power to save your child's life. Please do the right thing and help Brett. Respectfully,
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Podbaydoor
Archer Avenue Resident
"The only thing stupider than a chicken is a pickle." - B. Hinkle
Posts: 321
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Post by Podbaydoor on Sept 22, 2008 6:09:09 GMT -5
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Post by texasgal on Sept 22, 2008 19:13:47 GMT -5
SP, Podbaydoor is correct. In America, health insurance companies are for-profit organizations just as much as any other business. Their primary concern is their balance sheet, not our health.
It's very very interesting to note that when Wall Street is gaining, they want profit privatized. When they're losing, they want losses socialized. Their hypocrisy is underwhelming.
It's very nice of you to publicize this situation for your friend, Podbaydoor. Btw, I did send the emails. Oh, and incidentally, the ymk@columbia.edu address was returned to me ("delivery failure"), but the khakooy@mskcc.org went through.
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