Vietnam veteran battle with VA for cancer care over 10 years

U.S. Rep. David Jolly intercedes on behalf of Vietnam Vet suffering from cancer
St. Petersburgs Blog
By Janelle Irwin
August 11, 2014

David Davis will probably die.

The 60-year old Vietnam veteran was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma in March after battling with the VA since 2003 over several sores, bumps and rashes.

“If I would have had a choice the first time of getting outside referrals that would be paid for, then I could have gone to Boston Cancer Center and we wouldn’t be sitting here now,” Davis said to reporters during a press conference with Congressman David Jolly. “It would have been stage 1 melanoma and I wouldn’t be having 14 tumors.”

Davis is worried about his five children who don’t want their dad to die. He’s worried about his wife. But most of all, he’s worried about all of the young soldiers now who could wind up in a situation like his if the system isn’t changed.

“What if it was your dad or your son? How would you feel?” Davis asked.

In 2003 while living in Maine, Davis asked his local VA center for a referral to see a doctor outside the government-run healthcare system. He was turned down. So he went to a private doctor on his own dime where he had a lump removed that turned out to be squamous cell carcinoma, one of three kinds of skin cancer and the second most aggressive.

In 2008 after moving to St. Petersburg he had more skin issues. Again, he asked to go outside the system, again he was turned down and again he paid to go to a private doctor. It was cancer, but the VA refused to speak with the doctor who made the diagnosis.
read more here