Hope For Cancer Patients In Maui

Cancer in paradise? How could it be?

I mean, the U.S. Department of Agriculture goes to great lengths to keep foreign fruits, veggies, and plants out of Hawaii. You can't take certain seeds and flowers back to the mainland, either.

You think the TSA is tough? There are two agricultural checkpoints before you get on the plane to return to the U.S. mainland.

But cancer just creeps in ... cell by cell. We all know how it works. And if you're on the outer Hawaiian islands, cancer care appears to be limited.

But it looks like that's about to change.

There it was in bold print. A newspaper headline of hope for cancer patients on Maui. A new program giving access to 200 new and experimental cancer drugs and therapies at a local medical center. No more flying to the big city of Honolulu for treatment.

The money comes from the Hawaii Cancer Research Special Fund. A fund that gets its money from cigarette taxes. How perfect is that?

We can't really set up cancer checkpoints in paradise, or any where else ... but the easier it is to get what it takes to kill the beast, that gets my vote.

-- Laurie

7:00 AM ET | 10-29-2008 | permalink

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