aleena sadownyk

30 Oct 2014
Sticky Post By Posted in Blog Postings Permalink

On Leadership, Compassion, and Danielle Smith

Sticky Post By On 30 October, 2014

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to drop in to comment  on the recent Alberta election and the aftermath that the PC Sweep of all 4 seats has had on the political landscape there.  To say the least, I’m dumbfounded that the results of the by-election have led to questions about Wildrose leader Danielle Smith’s leadership.

To begin, for those that don’t know me, I’ve always been known as a staunch Liberal.  I’ve run as a Liberal nomination candidate, have been deeply involved in riding associations, and have even been the campaign manager for a strong candidate running for President of the Federal Liberal Party.  Most of my friends identify me alongside the Liberal Party, and whenever talk over a glass of wine or dinner turns to politics, I’m often turned to in order to offer the Liberal Perspective on things.

But to label me as a Liberal wouldn’t be entirely accurate.  I like to believe that I dedicate my life to helping protect the most vulnerable in our society – the ones that need a hand up; the people who need support so that they can reach their full potential in life.  Many parties identify with those beliefs, though some more than others. Obviously, I put my passion into practice when I decided to become a teacher, with my focus being on educating our future.  And more obviously, that focus changed, quite dramitically, when my son was diagnosed with a very rare and progressive disease.  On that fateful day in 2006, I promised my son that I would do everything in my power to protect him, to help him battle his disease.  And to help him win.  Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to play a small role in helping other children and other families fight back against this terrible disease, and along the way I’ve met some incredible people – people just as passionate about fighting for those in need as I am.  Danielle Smith is one of those people.

Under Danielle’s leadership last summer, the life of a little girl suffering from a rare disease was saved.  The government did not want to take action to provide little Aleena with the treatment she needed.  Indeed, her request for approval of her treatment was denied by Alberta Health.  Heather Forsyth, the opposition health critic for the Wildrose Party, worked tirelessly to help get that decision reversed.  And Danielle Smith was with us the entire way, supporting our efforts and ensuring time was allotted in the Legislature to hold the government to account for their inaction.  Heather and Danielle’s efforts made news from coast to coast, with National organizations covering the plight of Aleena. Because of her commitment to this family in need, Danielle helped save this young girl’s life.  And today, Aleena is thriving, growing, and living a rich, full, and happy life.

Danielle didn’t have to allocate the resources of her party or her time during Question Period to helping this one child.  But she did, because it was the difference between suffering or not for Aleena;  the difference between life or death.  Danielle ensured help was available because it was the right thing to do, and I was incredibly impressed with the way she committed herself and her party to wholehearted and unconditional support of Aleena and her family.

Since that time, I’ve had the opportunity to revisit the legislature and connect with Danielle in person.  And she’s renewed her commitment to fight for Albertans suffering from rare diseases, she’s committed to holding the government to account for their lack of action to help our kids – she’s committed to protecting the most vulnerable of Albertans – our sick children fighting a battle they need help to win.

After watching Danielle’s commitment to Aleena, I’ve watched the policies she’s put in place for her party – health care reform, ending extra school fees that have become an added burden on families, protecting taxpayers, and the list goes on and on.

So to those of you out there questioning Danielle’s leadership in the wake of the four by-election loses this past week (losses in what have always been considered SAFE PC SEATS, I may add), I ask you this – what Leadership qualities ARE you looking for if you feel Danielle isn’t the person you need?

To me, having someone at the helm of your party who has shown a strong commitment to those in need, who has demonstrated her ability to help the most vulnerable in our society, who believes that change can happen if people work together, and who continues to show a passion to protect our social safety net, would be a true blessing.  Danielle is a good person, and represents everything the Wildrose Party has come to stand for over the past few years.

General Douglas MacArthur once said, “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.”  Centuries earlier, Napoleon said “A leader is a dealer in hope.”  From what I’ve seen and experienced over the course of the past two years, Danielle Smith embodies these definitions perfectly.

Far be it for me to tell the Wildrose what to do about their party and about their leader.  But please remember this before you pass judgement at the upcoming leadership review – Winston Churchill lost 5 elections, Lincoln lost 8.  True leaders aren’t judged by wins or losses, they are judged by quality of character, ideals, compassion, and vision.  More often than not, true leaders end up on the winning side of things eventually – sometimes patience is required, but leaders tend to win out.  And Danielle Smith is a true leader, one you should be proud and are lucky to have.

So, before you vote, take a step back and see the forest for the trees.  I bet you’ll find you are in good hands with Danielle.

Respectfully,

A “Liberal” from Ontario.

12 Aug 2013
Sticky Post By Posted in Advocacy, Fight For Aleena, Media, Newspaper Permalink

Alberta will help fund critical treatment for young St. Albert girl

Sticky Post By On 12 August, 2013

BY SARAH O’DONNELL, EDMONTON JOURNAL AUGUST 13, 2013 7:34 AM

Alberta will help fund critical treatment for young St. Albert girl

Aleena Sadownyk has a rare enzyme deficiency called MPS VI that causes buildup of cellular waste in their body. They need a synthetic form of the enzyme to be injected each week.

Photograph by: Supplied , Edmonton Journal

EDMONTON –  St. Albert father Dane Sadownyk picked up his three-year-old daughter Aleena and “just hugged her” Monday morning when the family learned the Alberta government will fund a crucial treatment for her rare medical condition.

“It was an extremely emotional moment,” Sadownyk said. “I was so elated. It felt like I could come up for a breath of air. That’s what it felt like, that I can breathe again.”

Aleena’s family and their supporters have been lobbying Alberta Health for a month to approve treatment for Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome, a rare disease that means she lacks glycosaminoglycan, an enzyme that helps break down cellular waste.

Instead, the waste builds up, restricting movements, damaging organs and clouding eyesight, among other serious health complications. Without treatment, sufferers see their life expectancy cut short. Naglazyme, a synthetic enzyme approved in the U.S. but not Canada, can help break down that cellular buildup.

Though not a cure, weekly infusions could help prevent Aleena’s symptoms from getting worse, the family’s supporters say. Four other provinces have agreed to fund the treatment for seven children with the syndrome — also known as mucopolysaccharidosis type VI or MPS VI — and Aleena’s family was pushing Alberta to quickly approve the expensive but critical treatment, which is expected to initially cost about $300,000 a year.

Sadownyk, who was in Connecticut Monday with his family attending a conference on MPS VI when they heard the news, said they are feeling immense relief. Aleena was diagnosed with MPS VI in April.

“Today is definitely a day we are joyful for her and look forward to the future,” he said.

Andrew McFayden, director of the Isaac Foundation, went through a similar struggle in Ontario when his son Isaac was diagnosed with MPS VI as a toddler and was the first to receive treatment in Canada. He stepped in to assist the Sadownyks with their case and said he shared their feeling of elation Monday.

But McFayden also said the happiness is mixed with frustration that it took so long and that the family’s supporters felt they had to mount a public campaign with the support of MLAs such as Wildrose health critic Heather Forsyth, after the family’s original funding application through the Alberta Rare Disease Program was denied.

“We’ve gone through this numerous times,” McFayden said. “To me, that’s a big problem there still hasn’t been a process put in place by Health Canada for provinces to deal with funding these rare diseases.”

Health Minister Fred Horne said Monday he signed off on the funding for Aleena’s treatment through Alberta’s Short Term Evaluative Drug Therapy program, instead of the Rare Disease program, because Aleena’s case involves a drug not licensed for sale in Canada.

Horne said he weighed several factors, including the clinical evidence, the rarity of the disease, affordability of the drug and the best interest of the patient. Public pressure was not one of those factors, he said.

“I think Albertans would expect their minister and government to make these decisions based on evidence and looking at each case individually,” Horne said. “I’m pleased it’s able to be a positive outcome in this particular case. But these kinds of situations are becoming more common in Canada and it’s because we have more drugs coming out every day and more and more of these drugs are geared to rare diseases.”

Horne said he plans to talk about the need for an orphan drug program — a term used to describe medications for rare diseases — with other provincial health ministers and federal Health Minister Rona Ambrose.

“It’s an issue where we really need to collaborate,” Horne said. “There are only going to be more of these situations in the future.”

Forsyth, MLA for Calgary-Fish Creek, said Alberta Health must work to make the provincial system easier to navigate for families who suddenly find themselves seeking help with a rare condition. “The whole thing is just convoluted,” said Forsyth, who said she was overwhelmed to hear Aleena will receive treatment. “I think they have to simplify things and make it easier for the public to understand.”

NDP health critic Dave Eggen said Alberta Health also needs to speed up the process. “I’m glad something moved,” the Edmonton-Calder MLA said. “But in the future I don’t want to see people’s health compromised by being run through the wringer again.”

With Aleena’s funding approved, the Sadownyks’ next learning curve will be tied to her treatment.

“This is something that is new territory for us,” her father said. “We’ll learn.”

sodonnell@edmontonjournal.com

twitter.com/scodonnell

© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal
12 Aug 2013
Sticky Post By Posted in Advocacy, Fight For Aleena, Media, Newspaper Permalink

Aleena Sadownyk will have treatment covered by Alberta government

Sticky Post By On 12 August, 2013

Little girl with rare disease had been rejected for funding previously

 | August 12, 2013

Aleena Sadowynk

The Alberta government has agreed to pay for the treatment of Aleena Sadownyk, who suffers from a rare disease.

After a month of impassioned pleas and lobbying the provincial government, Alberta Health will fund the necessary medical treatment for Aleena Sadownyk – a St. Albert girl with a rare medical condition.

Three-year-old Sadownyk has Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome, a rare disease that causes cellular waste to build up in her joints and around her heart, restricting movements and damaging organs. A drug called Naglazyme will help, but while it is used in the United Sates, it has not been approved in Canada.

Early estimates indicated it could cost anywhere from $300,000 to $1 million a year to administer the drug, which Aleena Sadownyk would need to help fight the disease. Sadownyk’s parents had been pushing the government to pay for the treatment, along with dozens of others including opposition parties who joined the fight.

On Monday morning, Sadownyk’s father Dane said that the province had agreed to fund the treatment.

“The past few weeks have been very difficult for us, but we can now focus on improving Aleena’s well-being and look forward to her having a bright future ahead,” he said in a statement released by the Isaac Foundation – a patient advocacy group.

Aleena Sadownyk had been denied funding originally through the Alberta Rare Diseases Funding program back in July. During the last two weeks, all of Alberta’s opposition parties called on Health Minister Fred Horne to authorize the treatment.

“It is with tremendous joy that I thank all those who pushed so hard for the government to approve this life-saving treatment for Aleena,” said Wildrose health critic Heather Forsyth in a statement  Monday morning.

“I hope that this painful ordeal for the Sadownyk family will lead to better approval processes for rare disease treatment in our province. We owe it to all Albertans to make sure that their health care system is there for them when rare diseases strike and extremely expensive treatments are their only hope.”

A spokesman with Alberta Health confirmed late Monday that the province will be paying for the drug to treat Sadownyk. The province was waiting for a clinical review to be completed on the benefits of Naglazyme before agreeing to fund it, said John Muir.

“We’ve come back now and carefully considered the circumstances and looked at that clinical review and we will now be funding Naglazyme for this individual,” he said. “We don’t want to be in a situation where we’re rushing any type of medical review on it. We want to make sure patient safety is put first and foremost and ensure it’s the best option for any individual.”

It has been reported that nine children in Canada are currently afflicted by Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome. The cost of covering the Nagalyzme for Aleena Sadownyk will be around $300,000 a year.

 

12 Aug 2013
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Aleena Sadownyk Treatment: Alberta To Pay For Drugs For 3-Year-Old With Rare Enzyme Deficiency

Sticky Post By On 12 August, 2013

CP  |  By Dean Bennett, The Canadian PressPosted: 08/12/2013 12:28 pm EDT  |  Updated: 08/12/2013 5:31 pm EDT

Aleena Sadownyk Treatment
 

EDMONTON – The family of a three-year-old Alberta girl learned Monday she will receive a potentially life-saving drug for a disease that is causing cellular waste to build up in her joints and around her heart.

The province announced it will fund enzyme replacement therapy for Aleena Sadownyk of St. Albert, just outside Edmonton.

“It was very emotional,” Aleena’s father, Dane Sadownyk, said in an interview. “The first thing I did was pick up my daughter and give her a huge hug.

“It’s been a challenging and a tough road.”

A panel of medical experts with Alberta Health Services made the decision to fund the drug Naglazyme for Aleena.

Health Minister Fred Horne did not intervene in the decision, saying it needed to be made for medical reasons alone, but agreed it was a good day for the Sadownyk family.

“Obviously for the family it’s a positive outcome,” said Horne.

“These decisions are difficult, and we face more and more of them all the time in Canada as we have more drugs becoming available to treat rare … diseases.”

The drug costs $300,000 or more per year for children, and because the dosage is tied to weight, can rise to $1 million a year for adults. Those on it are on it for life as the drug does not cure the illness, but simply stops it from worsening.

The Sadownyks had been working with the province since the spring, after Aleena was diagnosed with Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome, also known as MPS VI.

MPS VI patients lack the enzyme in blood that breaks down cellular waste. The waste then accumulates in the bones, tissues, and organs, leading to stiffened joints, heart and airway blockages, and potential death.

Dane said he and his wife, Laura, noticed something was wrong with Aleena — their middle child of three children — when she had trouble raising her arms, touching her shoulder or making a fist.

“We initially just thought she had arthritis because it does run in our family,” he said.

As they learned more about the disease they got in touch with Andrew McFadyen, who advocates for families dealing with MPS VI, to get funding for Naglazyme, which acts as an artificial enzyme to break down the cellular waste.

The drug is not approved yet for use in Canada, although it is in other countries such as the United States. It is permitted in special cases in Canada and is paid for in B.C., Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Quebec.

Of the nine children in Canada with the illness, Aleena was the only one not getting the drug prior to Monday, said McFadyen.

Aleena was initially denied funding for the treatment under the Alberta Rare Diseases Funding Program, but was approved Monday under the Short Term Exceptional Drug Therapy program, which provides the treatment for six months.

Horne said it’s up to the doctors to decide how and when the drug is administered after that.

“The medical experts will make decisions around how the drug is made available, how the monitoring takes places, and with respect to the ongoing coverage,” he said.

The parties had been quietly working on Aleena’s case for weeks when McFadyen, with the help of Heather Forsyth, health critic for official opposition Wildrose party, went public 10 days ago with a plea to Horne to intervene.

“I was hitting roadblock after roadblock (along with) misinformation and a lack of knowledge about the process,” said McFadyen.

“We couldn’t just leave it in the hands of the minister’s office to work through quietly. So that’s why we went public.”

Aleena’s plight took off on social media and the opposition parties, even St. Albert government member Stephen Khan, publicly pushed for an expedited decision.

Forsyth said she was overwhelmed Monday.

“The prognosis wasn’t good if she didn’t get it,” said Forsyth. “We’ve just given this little girl a whole new lease on life, and jeepers why didn’t the government do something about this (sooner).”

Horne said the criticism that the government moved slowly is unfair. He said those who had to make the decision were dealing with an unapproved drug and had to make sure it was right for this patient.

“I think the decision was made on a timely basis,” he said.

 

11 Aug 2013
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ERT – Proof of Effectiveness From Around The World

Sticky Post By On 11 August, 2013

4d5f8030f60e11e2ad2b22000ae80c6b_7The question of whether Alberta Health will fund treatment for Aleena will be based solely on whether the province wants to pay the high cost associated with their decision.  How do I know this?  Well – if they were basing their decision on evidence based science alone, they would have rendered their decision by now – and that decision would have to be a YES.  To support that claim, I thought I’d take the time to include some snippets from some of the finest MPS Researchers in the world.  These quotes are taken directly from readily-available and reputable Journals, with sources included for further study.  There is irrefutable proof that this treatment is effective. There is irrefutable proof that this treatment MUST begin at a very early stage.  Delaying a decision on providing this treatment for Aleena is detrimental to her long-term health!

Here’s some things to ponder and share.  It took me less than 1/2 day to do this review of the available scientific literature regarding the safety and effectiveness that ERT yields patients suffering from MPS VI.  How it’s taken Alberta Health over 4 weeks to find this information is beyond comprehension.  And if they didn’t find this information during their STEDT review, they haven’t done a thorough job evaluating this case at all!  I should note that this is just a small sampling of the literature that is available on the subject, and every article I dug up promotes the same overall message – ERT is the best treatment for children suffering from MPS VI, it’s EFFECTIVE, and it must begin EARLY.  One final note – all articles point to this treatment being SAFE.  With all this clinical data available, Alberta Health must simply be weighing whether they want to pay to save Aleena or not, and shame on them if that’s the case.

Please read and share.  #Treatment4Aleena

“Recently, a consensus panel of international experts in medicine, genetics and biochemistry drafted management guidelines for MPS VI.  The expert panel recommended ERT, when available, as first-line therapy.”  (Schlander, M. and Beck, M. Current Medical Research and Opinion, 2009)

 

“Within 24 weeks of treatment, most patients treated with ERT demonstrated significant and sustained improvements in performance in [6 and 12 minute walking tests].  Long-term safety data show that the therapy has an acceptable safety profile.”  (Harmatz, P.  Turkish Journal of Pediatrics, 2010)

 

“…initiating ERT at an early age is safe and improves overall morphology, clinical outcome, quality of life and the safety profile related to immune response.  The main benefit was in scoliosis, joint range of movement, cardiac valves and facial appearance.” (McGill JJ, Inwood AC, Coman DJ, Lipke ML, de Lore D, Swiedler SJ, Hopwood JJ.  Clinical Genetics, 2010)

 

“As ERT slows down the accumulation of GAG in cells and tissues, it is thought that early treatment might prevent or delay the development of irreversible disease manifestations and limit or prevent growth deceleration.”  (Harmatz, P.  Turkish Journal of Pediatrics, 2010)

 

“…this trend toward decline in pulmonary function can be halted and partially reversed during ERT…” (Harmatz, P., Yo, Z., Giugliana, R., Schwartz, V., Guffon, N., Teles, E., Miranda, C…Decker, C.  Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease, 2009)

 

“One recently published case control study assessed the impact of [ERT] in two siblings: one treated from the age of 8 weeks, one from 3.6 years.  After 3.6 years of treatment with [ERT], the youngest child had a lack of scoliosis and preserved joint movement, cardiac valves and facial morphology, unlike the older sibling at the same age.  The older sibling had improvements in joint mobility and cardiac valve disease after 3.6 years of treatment with [ERT].”  (Harmatz, P.  Turkish Journal of Pediatrics, 2010)

 

“…it seems desirable to start treating these patients at an early stage, before irreversible damage has occurred.” (Schlander, M. and Beck, M. Current Medical Research and Opinion, 2009)

 

“[ERT] was found to be safe and effective in this young patient population and similar to that seen in clinical trials with older patients.” (Horovitz, D., Magalhaes, T., Acosta, A., Ribeiro, E., Giuliani, L., Palhares, D., Chong, K…Llerena Jr., J. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 2013)

 

“This improvement in respiratory function relative to baseline may lead to a decrease in the severity of respiratory illnesses and number of hospitalizations, and an overal improvement in the quality of life of MPS VI patients.” (Harmatz, P., Yo, Z., Giugliana, R., Schwartz, V., Guffon, N., Teles, E., Miranda, C…Decker, C.  Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease, 2009)

 

“This therapy opens the door to a more proactive approach of managing the disease, i.e slowing down the accululation of GAG rather than alleviating the resulting clinical manifestations.” (Harmatz, P.  Turkish Journal of Pediatrics, 2010)

 

“…conventional cost-effectiveness criterion currently in widespread use does not offer sufficient basis for rejecting reimbursement of expensive treatments for exceptionally rare disorders.”  (Schlander, M. and Beck, M. Current Medical Research and Opinion, 2009)

 

“The prescribed dosage of 1 mg/kg IV weekly with galsulfase ERT is shown to be safe and effective in slowing and/or improving certain aspects of the disease.” (Horovitz, D., Magalhaes, T., Acosta, A., Ribeiro, E., Giuliani, L., Palhares, D., Chong, K…Llerena Jr., J. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 2013)

 

“[ERT] weekly has shown to be safe and effective in slowing progression and/or improving the burden of the disease for MPS VI in young children. As early treatment initiation results in improved patient outcomes in this young cohort, early recognition of the more subtle symptoms associated with slowly progressing disease should be a priority to ensure early diagnosis and treatment initiation.”  (Horovitz, D., Magalhaes, T., Acosta, A., Ribeiro, E., Giuliani, L., Palhares, D., Chong, K…Llerena Jr., J. Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 2013)

 

“ERT positively affected mobility of the shoulder joint, the size of the liver and spleen, cardiac parameters, pulmonary function, certain domains of [quality of life], and the level of GAGs in the urine.” (Brands, M. Oussoren, E., Ruijter, G., Vollebregt, A., van den Hout, H., Joosten, K., Hop, W., Plug, I., Ploeg, A.  Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 2013)

 

“…results of ERT treatment in MPS VI have been promising, demonstrating clinically and statistically significant improvements in endurance along with a reduction in urinary GAGs.” (Harmatz, P., Giugliani, R., Schwartz, I., Guffon, N., Teles, E., Miranda, M., Wraith, J…Decker, C.  Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 2008)

08 Aug 2013
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Editorial: Life-saving treatment a worthwhile investment

Sticky Post By On 8 August, 2013

August 8, 2013 by 

 

What’s good for the goose, they say, is good for the gander.

That’s all fine and dandy for birds who fly south in the winter, but is what’s good for the Ontarian good for the Albertan? What about what’s good for the Quebecer?

When it comes to treatment for the life-threatening medical condition known as MPS VI, it certainly is.

This extremely rare condition — there are currently only nine cases reported in Canada, and 1,100 worldwide — came into the limelight earlier this week when we found out that a three-year-old girl from

St. Albert, Aleena Sadownyk, was diagnosed with MPS VI earlier this year and that her family is wrestling with the Alberta government to have the treatment that could save her life funded through health care programs.

The drug she needs has not been fully approved by Health Canada, meaning that the Alberta government is dragging its feet by conducting its own clinical review. But similar reviews have already been conducted by governments in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Saskatchewan, where funding for MPS VI treatment is already in place, and there is very little chance Alberta is going to find anything different. So why not get the funding in place already? There is ample evidence to prove that it works and is a worthwhile investment, even at $300,000 to $1 million per year.

And kudos to St. Albert MLA Stephen Khan for speaking out on Tuesday and calling for the treatment to be funded sooner rather than later. It’s refreshing to hear an MLA remember that his first job is to represent and advocate for the people of his riding, rather than to simply toe the Progressive Conservative party line.

Every day that passes puts Aleena Sadownyk’s young life further in jeopardy. The least the Alberta government — and especially Health Minister Fred Horne — could do is stop dragging its feet and take action.

— GLENN COOK, St. Albert Leader

07 Aug 2013
Sticky Post By Posted in Advocacy, Fight For Aleena Permalink

PROVINCE MUST FUND TREATMENT TO SAVE YOUNG GIRL IN ST. ALBERT: NDP

Sticky Post By On 7 August, 2013

4d5f8030f60e11e2ad2b22000ae80c6b_7FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUGUST 7, 2013

PROVINCE MUST FUND TREATMENT TO SAVE YOUNG GIRL IN ST. ALBERT: NDP

EDMONTON – Today, New Democrat health critic David Eggen sent a letter to Minister Fred Horne requesting that he immediately approve funding for Aleena Sadownyk, a St. Albert toddler, who requires life-saving medical treatment. Eggen is also calling on the PC government to list the necessary treatment for future patients.

“This is another sad and stark example of the PCs’ approach to health care—they prefer to diminish and delist services instead of strengthening and expanding them,” said Eggen. “As a result, this young girl and her family have been forced into a crisis constructed from PC neglect.”

Aleena suffers from the rare enzyme deficiency disease MPS VI, and the treatment, Naglazyme, is not currently funded by the province. Previous attempts by the family to secure funding for Aleena’s treatment have been unsuccessful.

“The PCs must immediately fund treatment for this young girl,” said Eggen. “Beyond that, the Minister needs to commit to funding treatment for others in the future.”

A copy of Eggen’s letter to the Minister is attached. (HERE)

For more information, please contact:
Brad Lafortune, Communications Officer: 780-446-2375 or Bradley.Lafortune@assembly.ab.ca<mailto:Bradley.Lafortune@assembly.ab.ca>

07 Aug 2013
Sticky Post By Posted in Advocacy, Fight For Aleena Permalink

PROVINCE MUST FUND TREATMENT TO SAVE YOUNG GIRL IN ST. ALBERT: NDP

Sticky Post By On 7 August, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUGUST 7, 2013

PROVINCE MUST FUND TREATMENT TO SAVE YOUNG GIRL IN ST. ALBERT: NDP

EDMONTON – Today, New Democrat health critic David Eggen sent a letter to Minister Fred Horne requesting that he immediately approve funding for Aleena Sadownyk, a St. Albert toddler, who requires life-saving medical treatment. Eggen is also calling on the PC government to list the necessary treatment for future patients.

“This is another sad and stark example of the PCs’ approach to health care—they prefer to diminish and delist services instead of strengthening and expanding them,” said Eggen. “As a result, this young girl and her family have been forced into a crisis constructed from PC neglect.”

Aleena suffers from the rare enzyme deficiency disease MPS VI, and the treatment, Naglazyme, is not currently funded by the province. Previous attempts by the family to secure funding for Aleena’s treatment have been unsuccessful.

“The PCs must immediately fund treatment for this young girl,” said Eggen. “Beyond that, the Minister needs to commit to funding treatment for others in the future.”

A copy of Eggen’s letter to the Minister is attached. (HERE)

For more information, please contact:
Brad Lafortune, Communications Officer: 780-446-2375 or Bradley.Lafortune@assembly.ab.ca<mailto:Bradley.Lafortune@assembly.ab.ca>

07 Aug 2013
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Local man fights for Alberta child’s health

Sticky Post By On 7 August, 2013

By Jeff Gard, Northumberland Today

Andrew McFadyen is ready for the launch of Project One Million.<br />JEFF GARD/Northumberland Today

Andrew McFadyen is ready for the launch of Project One Million. JEFF GARD/Northumberland TodayPrint

CAMPBELLFORD – For a Campbellford father, this is just another fight for funding, albeit with a different province.

Andrew McFadyen is lobbying Alberta Health to approve life-sustaining treatment for three-year-old Aleena Sadownyk, who was recently diagnosed with the rare enzyme deficiency MPS VI (Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome). Those affected lack an enzyme in their blood that breaks down cellular waste in the body called glycosaminoglycan (GAG), which builds up in the bones, tissues, organs and muscles. It can lead to devastating symptoms such as heart and airway disease, corneal clouding, stiffening of the joints, shortened stature and premature death.

Treatment — an Enzyme Replacement Therapy called Naglazyme — can range from $300,000 for a small individual to $1 million for a young adult per year. There are currently nine children suffering from MPS VI in Canada and about 1,100 cases worldwide.

McFadyen and his wife Ellen’s nine-year-old son Isaac suffers from MPS VI, but he has been receiving treatment on a weekly basis for seven years at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto after he was original denied funding. The McFadyens lobbied and they won.

Since that time, the family has also successfully lobbied for funding for another Ontario boy, Jasper More, in 2011 and a Saskatchewan girl, Violet Revet, in 2012.

Now the focus is on the St. Albert, Alberta toddler Aleena Sadownyk, who was denied funding by Alberta Health through the Alberta Rare Diseases Funding Program. A second application through the Short Term Exceptional Drug Therapy program is currently being reviewed, McFadyen said.

“It’s awful… the fact this has to continue to play out the same way every time a child gets diagnosed in a new province,” McFadyen said, while noting it spotlights Canada’s need for an Orphan Drug Policy. “The little girl’s family has to wait (for the decision) and it’s not right. It’s tough reliving this experience, but you empathize with the family.”

His advocacy work includes checking in with Alberta Health several times per day, ensuring the ministry has received all of the information it needs to make a proper decision and know that precedent has been set. In addition, he works with opposition health critics and prepares news releases.

McFadyen said when a child was diagnosed with MPS VI in Quebec, that province followed precedent already set by Isaac and subsequent cases. He hopes Alberta will do the same.

These funding fights engender “mixed emotions” in McFadyen, who used the words “angry” and “stressful” to describe the process.

“This takes over everything in life but it’s a small sacrifice for a little girl and her family,” McFadyen said. “It’s rewarding when success comes, knowing what it means for the family and the kids.”

jeff.gard@sunmedia.ca

twitter.com/NT_jgard

06 Aug 2013
Sticky Post By Posted in Advocacy, Fight For Aleena, Media Permalink

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – PC MLA Calls on Government to Fund Treatment for Rare Disease

Sticky Post By On 6 August, 2013

a picture– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –

PC MLA Calls on Government To Fund Treatment For Rare Disease

Life-Sustaining Treatment Required Immediately; Family Continues To Wait For Decision From Alberta Health

Stephen Khan, MLA for St. Albert, released his first public statement today about the case of 3 year-old Aleena Sadownyk. Sadownyk, a St. Albert resident, was recently diagnosed with MPS VI, a rare, progressive, and debilitating disease caused by an enzyme deficiency in the blood. She requires a life-sustaining treatment immediately to prevent irreversable symptoms from progressing. However, treatment cannot begin until Alberta Health renders its decision as to whether they will fund the expensive treatment or not. The treatment is already being funded in numerous provinces throughout the country, including BC, Saskatchewan, Quebec, and Ontario.

Khan released a statement on his Facebook page urging Alberta Health to quickly render “a positive decision for the Sadownyk family.” Khan notes that “Every day is an eternity for this young family, knowing that a treatment for this debilitating disease is at hand.” He acknowledges that other provinces are already funding treatment for the same disease.

Khan’s call for a quick decision from Alberta Health backs up Wildrose Health Critic Heather Forsyth in her own campaign for immediate action from Alberta Health. Forsyth has been publicly advocating on behalf of the Sadownyk family. On Friday, she wrote a letter to Health Minister Fred Horne asking him to “immediately reverse the denial of coverage under the Alberta Rare Diseases Drug Program or at the very least, provide temporary access to Naglazyme by immediately approving the STEDT application.” Forsyth notes in her letter to Horne that “major barriers thrown up in accessing this drug for Aleena” have caused delays that have left Aleena suseptable to “irreversible symptoms” of the very progressive disease.

While the drug in question isn’t yet approved by Health Canada, it’s official recognition as a legal medication for use in this country is imminent, perhaps only weeks away. It is already approved for use in many countries throughout the world, including the United States, the European Union and Austrailia. There are currently 7 children receiving the medication throughout Canada, all funded by provincial health care plans.

Andrew McFadyen, director of The Isaac Foundation, a charity that advocates on behalf of families affected by the disease, has grown frustrated with the delays and indecision. “There is ample evidence in this country and throughout the world as to the merits of this life-sustaining treatment. I’ve seen it personally in my son Isaac, where it has virtually halted the progression of the disease and has given him the opportunity of a normal life. It’s heartbreaking to know that while bureaurocrats are slowly make their way through the STEDT process – with no real indicaton or urgency, the disease is wreaking havoc on Aleena’s body. We know this works. We know other provinces already fund this treatment because they also know it works. Why Alberta Health is making this family wait to learn the fate of their daughter is beyond comprehension and it’s downright cruel.”

McFadyen adds that he is hopeful the public statement from Khan will prompt Minister Horne to take immediate action. “The Provincial government has the opportunity to do the right thing and ensure that Aleena receives the treatment she so desperately needs. It’s the role of government to protect and ensure fair and equitable access to Health Care for all Canadians, regardless of which Province they happen to live in. The Isaac Foundation joins Mr. Khan in calling on this government to take action and save the life of this child. She can’t afford to wait.”

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For more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview to discuss, please call Andrew at 613-328-9136 or email Andrew at mcfadyena@me.com.

Stephen Khan’s full statement can be found here.

Heather Forsyth’s full letter to Minister Horne can be found here.