LETTER: Right to Try Act Gives Terminal PA Patients Hope

The following letter to the editor was submitted to the Lansdale Patch by Matt Helfrich of Harleysville. To submit a letter to the editor, email justin.heinze@patch.com.

Dear Editor:

I am writing in support of Pennsylvania House Bill 45, the Right to Try Act. The bill would allow terminally ill patients to participate in treatments or drug trials that have not been fully approved by the FDA. Right to Try Laws exist in 33 States - Pennsylvania not being one of them. The House passed a Right to Try Act bill last year but it was never addressed by the Senate. I ask all PA residents to write to their respective State Senators to ask them to vote for HB 45 as soon as it is reaches them.

There are many arguments I could share in support of the Right to Try, but I prefer to share a more personal story to signify its importance.

My mom was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in 1998. She was given 6 months to live. Since Pennsylvania did not have Right To Try laws, she decided to receive experimental treatments outside of the State. These treatments allowed her to outlive her initial prognosis by 12 years. As a result, she was able to enjoy time with friends and family, cheer for Penn State on Saturdays, be at my wedding, and witness the birth of her first grandchild. Her success battling cancer for 12 years longer than expected exemplifies the power and hope that Right to Try laws in PA would provide.

Thanks,

Matt Helfrich

Image courtesy Matt Helfrich