Value involved – life

On August 5th, 2008 administrative court ruled to file a suit to the Constitutional court of the Republic of Latvia to investigate the provision of law that motivated diagnosed with blood cancer Irina Salova’s requirements to defend her rights to life. The case has been lasting for more than a year.

Introduction: in year 2006 Irina Salova was diagnosed with acute leukemia. The worst aspect of this disease is that no one is safe from it. It is extremely hard to fight it and survive after it but it is possible. The country where a patient survives the illness gets a chance to improve its demographic situation and receives another active member of society who is capable to pay taxes. The country presents itself as one that takes care of its residents. The member of society gets something that is much more important for him or her and which is described in just four letters – LIFE. Just four letters that contain everything – joy, love, relatives’ happiness, hope for future and inexhaustible faith in the state.

In February 2007 after Irina received bone-marrow transplantation a Philadelphia chromosome has been discovered which was a sign of the disease returning. The earlier prescribed drug Glivec (Imatinib) was not effective anymore even though the dosage has been increased to maximum. The solution was found in a way new medication Sprycel (Dasatinib) was prescribed at 140 mg per day, which equals to 60 pills per months. It seemed like the problem is solved. But Sprycel is not included in the list of drugs that are reimbursed by the state. Yet not included. Latvian State Agency of Obligatory Health Insurance (VOAVA) has a right to cover separate patient’s costs for a medicine but not more than 10 000 LVL per year. In Irina’s case this amount means only 28% of the total Sprycel costs per year since the price of one pack is 3 500 LVL. Thus, the state is able to cover only 770 LVL of one pack and the rest of the cost Irina is supposed to cover from her own money.

Irina filed the suit to defend not only her human but also constitutional right for life. The case was started, several hearings were held, and the following verdict was given – the court hearings are stopped until the Constitutional court makes a ruling on relevance of the provision of law (!) that motivates Irina Salova’s requirements to defend her rights to life. The reasons are fairly objective – the ruling cannot be made earlier than in 6 months according to the legal system regulations and the period of validity for the decision of the medical council. Meanwhile, the purchased medicine will last until September 20^th but if it is not taken the disease will start over again.

Those people who care about saving one’s life more than for spreading mottos can help Irina until a ruling– hopefully positive – will be made by the Constitutional court.

Sprycel can be bought cheaper in the USA where this medicine originally comes from and 9 000 LVL or 18 000 USD are needed to help Irina survive until the next court hearing. All the financial and medical documentation that can prove the current situation is available.

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P.S. Skeptics who consider a person diagnosed with blood cancer not worth a fight can relax – Irina is an export and foreign trade expert in one of the biggest Latvian companies working in equal condition with another employees and is a regular taxpayer. Her colleagues keep her as the most stylish employee for her haircut. In October 2007 after year she received her transplantation Irina got happily married.

History

2007 year: Fellows, Irina has made it and returned home!

On 2006, 11th of Oct Irina Petrova has successfully went through stem cell transplantation. On 2007, 10th Feb she's discharged from Vilnius hospital and returned back home. She still has to have a  long rehabilitation process under doctors control, to make regular analyses, but she won her disease. Life goes on and Irina is the winner.

2006 year:

For many months Irina has been fighting for her life and it has been a success! The support she has received from her family, friends and those sympathetic to her who responded to the call for help in press, internet portals and websites, helped Irina celebrate her 30th birthday.

At present Irina is staying in Vilnius Hospital, where she was supposed to have an operation on blood cell transplantation.  Your support helped to raise funds both for the course of treatment and complicated operation with a donor. However all of a sudden her state of health deteriorated:  Irina’s marrow contains 53% of blast, whereas cell transplantation is allowed only at the amount of 20% of blast.

In order to hold the development of the disease and bring it to remission a new course of chemical therapy is needed. Linezers Hospital in Riga offers a free-of-charge course for cancer patients. However this is the only advantage for a patient like Irina. The Vilnius Hospital doctors recommend her to stay in their hospital, where they will be able to supervise her state of health, her organism’s reaction to the disease and its development. As soon as Irina’s state of health gets better, she will be operated on immediately!

Vilnius Hospital will charge 15 000 LVL for Irina’s stay and treatment there. There is some amount of funds left on Irina’s bank account from your donations you have helped to raise for Irina’s treatment, but unfortunately those funds are not sufficient for an additional course of treatment.

Dear friends! For many months you have been helping Irina to successfully fight for her future. There is a little more effort and funds left to be raised for us to have a new hope that Irina’s life will be out of danger!

Together we can save Irina’s life!