This is encouraging news for those of us who believe that an integrated healthcare system would benefit most people, and certainly respect your right to choose. In this July 20, 2017 CBC News article (3 minute read time) by Stephanie Taylor, “Sask. Metis man uses traditional medicines to treat terminal cancer“, she wrote about a case in Saskatchewan that demonstrates how conventional and traditional medicine can co-exist for the benefit of the patient, respecting Aboriginal and human rights.
Taylor states, “A Métis man who opted to use Indigenous therapies for his terminal cancer instead of chemotherapy was initially turned down for follow-up care by a specialist, but the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency is now encouraging specialists to accept patients using traditional practices.” It took a few attempts and an escalation of Ric Richardson’s case to the head of the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, but in the end this Métis man’s choices were honoured and supported.
Is this what we should all expect from our healthcare system? Will your personal right to choose start being honoured and supported in other healthcare situations, as a manner of policy? This is one of the key reasons why the Charter of Health Freedom was written over eight years ago and we have been collecting signatures on the petition to have it become law ever since.
Start a petition page for the Charter of Health Freedom today
Find out more about the Charter of Health Freedom
