 |
Demand Irish Health Services Grant
Medicinal Cannabis for Ava Barry
Medicinal Cannabis for Ava Barry
| ||||
Dear friends, Twenty-three seizures a day. That's what life is like on a bad day for Ava Barry, a bright six-year old girl in Ireland. She's been diagnosed with Dravet Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that is drug-resistant. The seizures that torment her can last minutes or even hours. Her family has tried everything, but nothing has successfully treated her seizures. So they applied to Ireland's Health Service Executive, the HSE, requesting a medicinal cannabis treatment for Ava. But in late February, the HSE rejected Ava's application. Care2 member Teresa was so distressed when she heard the news that she knew she had to speak up for Ava and the Barry family. Sign her petition demanding the HSE reverse its decision and grant a medicinal cannabis treatment for Ava! Earlier last month, the Irish Minister for Health published the Cannabis for Medical Use report, which recommends medicinal cannabis be available to treat patients with severe or treatment-resistant epilepsy. Yet just thirteen days later, the Health Services still rejected Ava's application for access. This little girl's fate is in our hands. As her mother said when speaking to the Irish Examiner: "Seizures are scary and when it is happening you don't know how the child will be afterwards. Ava could come out of a seizure one day and be brain damaged. That is the reality... We need access to the THC form of cannabis. Without it, Ava could die." We must act together, now. Teresa needs our help. She intends to submit her petition to the HSE to get their attention – but before she does, she needs lots of signatures from people all over the globe to tell Ireland that the world is watching. Will you stand up for Ava and sign the petition to grant her access to medicinal cannabis? Thank you for all that you do,
|
 |