North Texas

Dialysis And Cancer Patients Displaced By Harvey Seek Care

Right now, one of the most pressing medical needs in the wake of Harvey is getting people to dialysis and cancer treatment.

According to ESRD, a national organization that monitors kidney care, about 18,000 patients live between Brownsville and Beaumont.

Belinda Jarvis, of Spring, fled her home on Tuesday in anticipation of flooding, however, knew she only had one day to find a dialysis treatment center.

"I have to have dialysis three times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday," says Jarvis.

"Too much fluid is bad for you heart.  If you don't eat right, that is bad, so yeah, I was very concerned. I had to get mine," she says.

Doctors say dialysis patients face life and death if they don't get treatment.
Dialysis does the work of patient's failing kidneys, cleaning their blood during a four hour treatment.

"Our dialysis patients have an access point in their arm.  It's important that it stays clean and free of bacteria that could make them deadly ill in the future," says Dr. Lauren McDonald, of Dallas Pathology Associates.

Dr. McDonald says the state is allowing doctors to treat displaced patients with little questions asked.

DaVita Kidney Care says its DFW clinics have already treated 35 displaced patients, mainly from Houston.

Jarvis feels lucky she was able to find treatment quickly.

A DaVita spokesperson says they have more than 100 centers in the Houston area and right now, 70 percent of them are open and treating patients.

Cancer patients are also looking for places to continue their chemotherapy and radiation.

Texas Oncology is also delivering care to evacuees in need.

In a statement, the group says "in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, we are concerned about the needs of all cancer patients impacted by this devastating storm. With the availability of some healthcare facilities disrupted in the near term, and potentially longer term relocations of coast area residents, patients may need interim treatment and care options. "

"Just undergoing cancer is stressful for people, so being displaced from their homes, in cities they're not familiar with and providers who aren't accustomed to seeing them, they need a lot of support and care," says Dr. Lalan Wilfong, Medical Director of Quality Programs at Texas Oncology.

He says the local group Cancer Support Community is assisting patients with coping with stress and depression.

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