A 41-year-old Milton mother who fought to have her cancer drugs covered by OHIP has died.
Kimm Fletcher, 41, passed away at an Oakville hospice Sunday night after battling advanced stage-four brain cancer.
Fletcher made headlines last year when she unsuccessfully fought to have cancer drug Avastin covered by OHIP because she believed the drug would prolong her life by up to a year.
In a statement released Monday, Fletcher's husband Scott said he was thankful for the support his family received from members of the public. Donations, he said, gave his wife access to the drug which afforded her more time with her two children.
"When Kimm was diagnosed, she got ready for a fight, like most young mothers would. I was so proud of the way she stood up and asked the government to make change not only for herself, but for all the Ontarians and Canadians who expect their government to take care of them in their time of need," he said.
Coverage for Avastin has only been approved for patients with colon cancer and after meeting with Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews last year, Fletcher was told an exception could not be made.
Scott Fletcher said his wife was at peace when she celebrated her daughter's eighth birthday at Great Wolf Lodge at the end of March.
"She had planned to visit the Atlantic Ocean to dip her hands into it, but didn't have the chance. So her friend Kimberly from Newfoundland sent her a mason jar with Atlantic Ocean water in it last weekend," he said.
Matthews stopped by CP24 Monday afternoon and was asked for her reaction to the woman’s death and the province’s decision to not fund the medication.
“It is such a tragic story," Matthews said. "It is always heartbreaking to lose someone."
Matthews said the province has recently tripled funding for cancer-fighting drugs and said she always strives to make sure Ontarians receive the best possible care.
The Ministry of Health has said there is not enough evidence to show that Avastin would work for Fletcher’s type of cancer.
"We focus very closely on the evidence," Matthews said.
Ontario PC leader Tim Hudak also commented on Fletcher’s passing at a news conference Monday morning.
“As a father of two little girls… if my wife passed away I can’t even imagine what that does to a family,” Hudak said.
“That is not the kind of Ontario I think we ever expect to see. I expect Ontario to be first on the list for new drugs... We can do a lot better."
