A Letter to Senator Dodd Following His Cancer Diagnosis

Dear Senator Dodd:

I am a resident of Connecticut. I just heard you have prostate cancer. I am very sorry to hear this news. I'm sure it's a frightening revelation that has sent your entire family into a tailspin.

As far as I know, however, you are now surrounded by expert medical practitioners who are giving you detailed plans on how to treat and cure your cancer. These experts are plying you with statistics on what treatments work, setting appointments for you, counseling you on your choices. You've likely been told that there is every hope for a cure and a full life ahead of you, after all, you're only 65. That must be a huge relief in this time of crisis.

Let me tell you what happened in my family when my then three and four year old daughters were dealt an equally frightening diagnosis back in 1999. My husband and I were told that our daughters had autism, and that it was a lifelong condition with no cure. Did I mention the girls were ages three and four? No cure.

The neurology "expert" who diagnosed the girls had no treatment to offer. In fact, the only "prescribed treatments" were external therapies. All of which we had to pay for out of pocket. In our first months following diagnosis, we were spending $800 a month just on speech therapy. A decade ago.

Getting an autism diagnosis isn't much different in 2009 than it was in 1999. Doctors still tell worried Moms and Dads that there is no cure, to plan for a group home for the more severely impacted child, to rely on the public school system for "treatment." Three years old, and your little one's life is "over." Astounding, isn't it?

I believe your Senate health care plan will cover your cancer treatments without question, correct? It must be a big relief to know your family will not go bankrupt so that you can live a full life, pursue your career in public service and maintain your masculine dignity.

Perhaps you will go to sleep tonight fearful of the surgery and the possible side effects of treatment. You might even awaken several times with worry. Who could blame you?

I''ve been doing that for ten long years, Senator Dodd. Autism aside, you well know that tens of millions of Americans without healthcare insurance remain sleepless when they or a loved one become ill. And I know you're fighting to change that. Thank you.

I hope that when you return from your surgery, you will continue to fight for healthcare for all Americans. And thank you for co-sponsoring the Autism Treatment Acceleration Act which will provide research into prevention, treatment and a I hope a cure for autism. Because I could really use a good night's sleep.

Thank you. I wish you well.

Your constituent,

Kim Stagliano

(PS) Could you please pull Senator Lieberman aside and ask him to sign onto ATAA too? He's unwilling so far. My girls and I would appreciate it.

Comments

[MariaCD]

Kim, you mentioned your dental work and that struck a cord. Colin didn't visit a dentist until he was nine, thankfully it wasn't terrible news, but he had to be knocked out and the bill was $5K, only a sliver of which was covered by our dental insurance. Our dentist recommended we submit to our medical plan since he had anastesia . No dice. We were offered a no interest credit card for 18 months, which was helpful, but I really don't need another credit card bill. Just saw the dentist myself on Saturday, bad news, I need $5K worth of work with almost none of it covered.

Well, we may be broke, have autism in our family, but dammit we have nice teeth!

Maria D.

[Mary Cutler]

Senator Dodd,
My family too has been affected by cancer and autism. I wish you good health and a speedy recovery. Our son is 15 years old now and I worry every day for what the future holds for him . We spent over $30,000 per year for last 9 years to help him with medical treatments (and they have greatly improved him) but this of course caused us massive debt (house is mortgaged to the hilt and credit cards), affected our other two children's lives and now that my husband lost his job...it has pushed us into bankruptcy and now possibly the loss of our home. Autism is so prevalent, unfunded and must be brought to the forefront in healthcare before we lose generations of childrens and ruin hundreds of thousands of families. Thank you

[nowGo4ward]

I wish Senator Dodd a speedy restoration of health, and I pray for expedited widespread recognition of and effective intervention for the true global "pandemics" we are experiencing: environmentally induced chronic illnesses and disabilities, particularly among child populations, but affecting all of us.

[mlinn]

Excellent letter, Kim. I think the more we can relate and compare autism to other diseases, the more ground we gain in convincing others to act. When you lay it out as logically and timely as you have, it's tough for Senator Dodd (or anyone) to argue against the points. I wish Senator Dodd the best and hope he (and a lot of other people) read your letter!

[CamJam]

RIGHT ON KIM! Thank you for writing that fantastic letter to Dodd!!!

Don't get me wrong though. I've seen what cancer has done to several of my family members. BUT! many have lived long happy lives before getting cancer and they received the best of care through INSURANCE when they did get their cancer conditions.

But when it came to our one twin son dx'd with regressive ASD, right after he turned 4 years old in Aug 2007, we found out wth AUTISM was:

http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/664709

Shortly after putting the ^^ above video together, we found out the the HARD way that our Insurance company will ONLY PROVIDE to our then 4 year old son...ie:Ritalin! and we live in a STATE that now MANDATES they MUST provide therapy! - But what a joke and an expensive one at that!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmSvDb9jot

Thank you for all you do Kim. Thank you!

[CamJam]

oops correct Youtube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmSvDb9jotk

[decodingyou]

My thoughts and best wishes go out to Senator Dodd and his family, and also, Kim, to you and your family. I agree that autism and all autism spectrum disorders need more funding. However, I don't want all the other forms of developmental delays to be forgotten either. Early intervention services need to be funded fully to help all children reach their potential. Our area is short developmental therapists, speech therapists, and occupational therapists so those children who do qualify for services (show significant delays or are already diagnosed) have to wait for a spot to open up on therapy caseloads. The therapy is often only once a week, the reasoning being that seeing more children for less time is better than seeing less children. In my opinion this goes beyond the health care debate. Helping these children learn to function in our world, and helping their parents learn how to help their children will save this country millions of dollars in disability payments, medical care, and lost productivity 20 years down the road.

[KFuller]

I really hope that Senator Dodd actually reads your letter. I hope that it shows him the reality of the inequity's of care for the very real epidemic that Autism has become.
Well said Kim. I hope he hears you.

[Kim Stagliano - Huffpost Blogger]

I will be sending it to his office. I'm sure his Google alerts would have picked it up too, but that doesn't mean a staffer would have had time to read it. I do email his office regularly. Sen. Lieberman's too. He is refusing to sign onto ATAA - not wanting to "single out" one diagnosis. Guess what, Senator, autism is already singled out by it's exclusion from most insurance policies.

Our health insurance system is so messed up. Imagine if you lost your car insurance when you changed jobs. Or if your insurance company said, "Oh we only cover damages to the LEFT bumper in accidents on the Northbound lane, not the RIGHT bumper heading South." I have an implant in my mouth - just the post - because I really can't spring for the crown since we no longer have a health savings account since Mark became self employed after losing his job twice in 08 (that was fun.) I finally get an implant - and it's in my mouth. Now THAT's depressing! :)

KIM

[mamalisa38]

The top ten drug industry executives earned $199.4 million in 2008, the top ten insurance executives earned $85.6 million, plus profits for shareholders.

Miles White - Abbott - $17,395.00 an hour
Fred Hassan -Schering-Plough - $15,677.00 an hour
Bill Weldon - Johnson & Johnson - $13,022.00 an hour
Ron Williams - Aetna - $12,656.00 an hour
H. Edward Hanway - CIGNA - $6,373.00 an hour
Angela Braly - WellPoint - $5,127.00 an hour

[Kiri sute gomen]

Thank you for this letter, and best wishes to you and your family.

[jmpurser]

He's not fighting for health care for all Americans. That would be universal coverage and we're STILL not going to get it even AFTER making the world's most expensive health care system MORE expensive.

We need single payer. Dodd knows this but is crafting a welfare for the insurance industry bill instead.

[EbonBear]

You absoluetly need single payer in the worst way. But single payer is politically impossible right now. The reform bill is, assuming it turns out halfway decent, the best that can be done at this moment in time.

[jmpurser]

Last year getting a black man elected president was impossible but some decidedly unpragmatic people decided to fight for it. Whatever happed to those people?

[linwessels]

Excellent letter, Kim. Thank you for saying what needs to be said. Our family, who also suffers the constant siege of autism challenges and battles, agrees wholeheartedly.

Godspeed, Senator Dodd.

[mogrammy]

Thank you Kim for this letter. Wishing Senator Dodd a speedy recovery. Hoping and praying for all of our children on the autism spectrum that they can soon receive the health care and coverage they so need and deserve.
Maurine Meleck

[jlu626]

Like many people around the world, my immediately family has been ravaged by cancer. It has taken people I love far too soon... I miss them, but am hopeful as research moves forward. And I'm comforted to know that they had access to the treatments they needed when they were sick because of their insurance coverage.

My son with autism has never had that luxury. Insurance covers none of the therapies his doctors have prescribed over the years. We have paid thousands upon thousands of dollars out of pocket and watched him get better. Thank God, so far we've been able to...

It is time ... No, it is long past time that families like Kim's and Angela's and Barbara's and mine have access to the medical care their children with autism need...

I hope that Senator Dodd reads this letter Kim and I hope it resonates. Thank you for writing it.

[shockwave11]

Great letter.

[AngelaWarner]

Senator Dodd, I wish you a full and speedy recovery.

Unfortunately every word of Kim's letter to you is true. I do hope that you will support the ATAA and that you will also support coverage for our military dependent children by insisting that the Armed Services Conference Committee retain language from the House version of the NDAA that will provide treatment coverage for our children under the basic Tricare program. Our children every where are being discriminated against because they have autism. This has got to stop. Our children deserve the best shot at recovery every one else is afforded. Children with autism are people too.

Kim, beautifully said, as usual. Thank you for reaching out to Senator Dodd.