Life-extending Optune therapy remains unfunded in Manitoba for glioblastoma patients. 

My close friend Chico Colosimo, a 47-year-old father of two, is currently battling glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive and devastating forms of brain cancer. He is undergoing Optune treatment, a wearable, non-invasive therapy that uses electric fields to slow tumour growth and extend survival.

Before starting Optune, Chico was largely bedridden, unable to speak, and unable to follow direction due to the progression of his tumour. Since beginning this therapy, he has experienced a marked reduction in these symptoms and significant improvements in his day-to-day functioning. MRI results following the start of Optune treatment also showed a notable reduction in tumour size.

Optune is giving him something incredibly important: more time and a better quality of life with the people he loves. However, in Manitoba, this treatment is not publicly covered, leaving families like Chico’s to pay more than $28,000 per month out of pocket. This cost is simply not sustainable.

Thanks to the generosity of family, friends, and supporters through a GoFundMe campaign, Chico has been able to remain on Optune treatment longer than would otherwise have been possible. However, his family is now facing the heartbreaking reality that they may soon be forced to stop a treatment that is giving him more time and improved quality of life, simply because they can no longer afford it.

This raises urgent questions about equity and access. In British Columbia, this therapy is already publicly funded. National review bodies, including Canada's Drug Agency (formerly the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health) and its Health Technology Expert Review Panel (HTERP), have acknowledged the clinical value of this therapy and have recommended reimbursement for qualifying adults with glioblastoma. Despite this, Optune remains unfunded in Manitoba and the financial burden continues to fall on patients and their families.  

No family should be forced to choose between financial stability and a loved one’s chance at more time.

We are calling on the Government of Manitoba and Manitoba Health to:

• Provide public coverage for Optune therapy for eligible glioblastoma patients
• Work toward timely funding or interim solutions while negotiations continue

Please sign and share to help bring attention to this urgent and solvable issue.

Together, we can make a difference and provide hope to countless families like Chico’s who are in desperate need of support.