The family of a Manitoba woman who died while waiting for surgery is speaking out once again, this time after hearing from the health minister.
The Fewster family initially spoke out last month proposing Debbie’s Law.
The law was named after their mom Deborah Fewster, who died last year while waiting for heart surgery.
The family said if they knew their mom wouldn’t be able to get life-saving surgery in time, they would’ve looked elsewhere to get help. That inspired them to proposed Debbie’s Law, which includes two parts.
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“First would be information on how long their wait time is and second, the maximum recommended wait time they face. This would help patients know if the system is putting their life at risk or not,” SecondStreet.org president Colin Craig said.
SecondStreet.org is helping and advocating for the Fewster family.
The Fewster family has since been in touch with Manitoba health minister Uzoma Asagwara who has issued a directive, the first towards making this a policy.
The family is pleased to see action being taken and want to see Debbie’s Law implemented across Canada.
“By fully implementing and legislating Debbie’s Law, we can set a model for other provinces to follow. This is about creating a health care system that works for and prioritizes patients, that listens to their needs and ensures no one falls though the cracks. Debbie’s Law is not political issue, it’s a human issue,” Daniel Fewster, Debbie’s son, said.
The Progressive Conservative party took action Wednesday introducing Debbie’s Law as a bill. It will be debated in the legislature Thursday.
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