Dear Christine MH UK,
Unfortunately I have to disagree with your opinion of the NHS is the only Universical care of the sort in Europe, au contraire.
If you can name me a single western european country that does not cover cancer at 100% please let me know. But has it stand the facts are as follows;
"In the 1880s, most
Germans became covered under the mandatory health care system championed by
Bismarck. The
National Health Service (NHS) in the
United Kingdom was the world's first universal health care system provided by government. It was established in 1948. The most comprehensive today is in
France, and the second most is in
Italy. Other examples are
Medicare in
Australia, established in the 1970s, and by the same name
Medicare in
Canada, established between 1966 and 1984. Universal health care contrasts to the systems like
health care in the United States or
South Africa, though South Africa is one of the many countries attempting
health care reform"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_health_care
The fact that you were under the impression that only in the UK you have universal care is common and was true a long while back. This is unfortunately what it often misrepresentated in the some of the press. I suspect that it an intended message from (?) to justify their poor rate of success compared the other European countries.
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35 y/o
June 06: BC stage I
Grade 3; ER/PR neg
Her-2+++; lumpectomies
Aug 06: Stage IV
liver mets: 6 tumours
July 06 to Jan 07: 2*FEC+6*Taxotere; 3*TACE; LITT
March 07- Sept 07: Vaccination trial (phase 2, peptide based) at the UW (Seattle).
Herceptin since 2006
NED til Oct 09
Recurrence Oct 2009:
to internal mammary gland since October 2009 missed on Oct and March 2010 scan.. palpable nodes in May 2010 when I realised..
Nov 2011:7 mets to lungs progressing fast failed hercp/tykerb/xeloda combo..
superior vena cava blocked: stent but face remains puffy
April 2012: Teresa Trial, randomised to TDM1
Nov 2012 progressing on TDM1
Dec 2012 blockage of my airways by tumours, obliteration of these blocking tumours breathing better but hoping for more- at mo too many tumours to count in the lungs and nodes.
Dec 2012 Starting new trial S-222611 phase 1b dual egfr her2+ inhibitor.
'Under no circumstances should you lose hope..' Dalai Lama