The family of a Manitoba grandmother who died while waiting for heart surgery says it’s hoping a proposed law could help prevent other families from going through the same heartbreak.
Debbie’s Law — named for Deborah Fewster, who died at her home in Niverville last fall at age 69 — would require that health care authorities let patients know if life-saving treatment can’t be provided in a certain period of time.
Fewster was initially told she needed surgery within three weeks, but had to wait more than two months before she died without receiving a surgery date.
“Had we known my mother wasn’t going to receive the surgery in time, we would have done everything we could — remortgaging our homes if necessary — to get her the care she needed outside the province,” Fewster’s son Daniel said Wednesday at a press conference held by public policy think tank SecondStreet.org.
“But we weren’t given that option. We were just told to wait.”
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The think tank said the proposal isn’t a political one. Rather, it’s intended to be a way to promote transparency in the health care system.
“Governments already require automakers and food companies to warn the public when their products pose a health risk,” SecondStreet.org president Colin Craig said.
“Governments should have to meet the same standard and tell patients when long wait times pose a risk.”
Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara sent condolences to the family Wednesday afternoon.
“Certainly I’m very open to looking at what the proposed law is and I’m always open to hearing ideas from Manitobans about how we can make healthcare stronger,” Asagwara said.
“I do want to be very clear that here in Manitoba, if you’re someone who has an urgent or life threatening health condition and you need life-saving care or critical intervention, you are going to get that care.”
According to the province’s website, 104 people are currently waiting for cardiac surgery. The median wait time is 12 days.
There currently are no publicly available statistics on how many people die while waiting for heart surgery in Manitoba.
