Thank you to The Signal for the letter to the editor from Rick Barker, “A Special Place for Veterans,” on Christmas Day. Robin and I are not veterans, but our fathers were disabled during combat in World War II.
Those who wear the uniform should return to civilian life with the right to further education, job opportunities, and the ability to purchase a home. Additionally, they should receive the best medical care that the Veterans Administration and our country have to offer.
Modern medicine is expanding rapidly, and Robin has been given the opportunity to utilize this technology to combat cancer. This technology found a mutation in her cancer through “biomarker analysis,” where “targeted” medication could be used to then halt cancer growth.
Less than 20% of diagnosed biopsies at VA facilities provide “biomarker analysis” for our veterans.
We are members of the California Senior Legislature and have written a federal proposal mandating all VA biopsies have “biomarker analysis,” providing the same opportunities for veterans to receive “state of the art” medical care our country has to offer.
Should a biopsy be positive for cancer, a further “biomarker analysis” costs less than $300. You can do the math with this amount multiplied by the number of positive cancers per year nationally at VA facilities (which, through our research, is about 20,000 per year), which is minuscule compared to the overall cost of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
This is a win for veterans, saving costs and lives of those who served.
We are looking for a federal legislator to take on this proposal. If you know someone who cares about veterans, please have them contact us ([email protected]) so we can get the effort going.
Robin Cough and Dr. Gene Dorio
Saugus
