Orlando Veterans Find Harder to Get Care than Uninsured Citizens?

9 Investigates veteran's battle with VA over breast cancer treatment
WFTV News
February 17, 2015

Maynard, who has helped 4,000 women through her nonprofit, said she has found it more difficult to get help for George than women who don't have any insurance.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A woman battling breast cancer is now also battling the Veterans Administration to get the treatment she needs.

As a veteran Dawn George fought for her country, working in military intelligence in Panama.

Now she is in a battle for her life against breast cancer and said she feels like her country is fighting against her.

"Now I am going to be constantly concerned, 'Is that cancer on my other one?'" George said.

In November, George had a biopsy that determined she had breast cancer.

Her VA doctor told her that it was stage zero and all she needed was a lumpectomy.

George was concerned about the diagnosis and found the advocacy group Libby's Legacy.
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9 Investigates woman's battle with VA to get cancer treatment
WFTV News
February 18, 2015

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A Channel 9 investigation found a second local woman who said the Veterans Association isn’t giving her the cancer treatment she needs.

She contacted Channel 9’s Lori Brown after Brown told another veteran’s story about how she had to go elsewhere to get a similar treatment.

The treatment the VA is refusing was ordered by one of the VA’s own doctors.

When Vietnam War veteran Pamela Paddock saw Brown’s story about retired E4 specialist Dawn George, it sounded all too familiar.

“I think they need to stop playing with people’s lives,” said Paddock.

The VA refused to give George an MRI before giving her a lumpectomy, then the hospital refused to give her a biopsy.

The nonprofit Libby’s Legacy, which usually helps people with no insurance, stepped in to pay for both tests.

The tests revealed that George’s cancer was far more extensive than her doctors thought.

“When women would like to proceed with additional testing, it should not be denied to them,” said Dr. Susan Curry, of the Women’s Center for Radiology.
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