Hope walks

WHAT MOST take for granted, Vivian Williams, 37, fears he might forever lose: the ability to stand on his own feet.

The former Arcelor Mittal employee, now a landscaper, from Cascade is pleading with authorities to approve a $500,000 prosthesis to replace his right knee, which has been ravaged by cancer.

Mr Williams has somehow generally managed to remain optimistic so far despite his trials. But he says approval by the Ministry of Health does not seem a priority. He’s gone to regional health authorities, consulted “customer service” and made personal requests through staff – all to no avail.

“They’re giving covid19 patients first preference, and people who come in as emergency cases, but I’m asking, is my case not an emergency?” Mr Williams said recently. “I really need to get this done, I’m really young, I’m only 37, I have no children yet.”

The Ministry of Health undoubtedly has a great deal on its plate. But compassion, not to mention the duty it owes to the people it serves, dictates the State provide better clarity on what measures might be applicable in this case.

At stake here is not only Mr Williams’s future well-being, but also that of so many others like him who are often left frustrated, confused and under-served by the healthcare system meant to treat them.

Covid19 is the most pressing issue facing us as a society right now, but the healthcare system, we are told repeatedly, has been reoriented to prevent the demands of dealing with the virus from taking down the system as a whole.

But Mr Williams’s case is a sobering reminder of the kinds of situations that might be slipping through the cracks, notwithstanding a parallel healthcare system, and notwithstanding the great effort and expense undertaken to bolster the quality of engagement between state medical officials and citizens.

There are hundreds, possibly thousands, of situations like Mr Williams’s that arise on a regular basis before the ministry which each merit careful attention and consideration.

But the State’s efforts to deal with these cases are weakened by the strain currently being placed on its medical professionals and administrative officials, many of whom have been diverted to man scores of vaccination sites – which currently stand empty due to vaccine hesitancy.

The irony, of course, is that the State is bending over backwards to run these miniature ghost towns, while there are real flesh-and-blood patients being given the runaround over issues relating to their treatment.

Mr Williams’s cancer was first diagnosed in 2017, a year after the closure of his former employer. His condition is said to be rare, once in a million. He has already undergone surgery four times. We hope officials can expedite efforts to help him get back on his feet.