The Tantons are doing everything in their power to make sure their 11-year-old daughter, Katie, has every opportunity possible to fight Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a rare and aggressive terminal brain cancer that primarily affects children.
Earlier this year, Katie was accepted into into a new TarGeT-A Clinical Trial at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. The trial involves her taking two daily medications, as well as attending monthly appointments in Ohio.
Because the Tantons were living in Denham Springs and on Louisiana Medicaid, Katie’s Ohio trial isn’t fully covered by insurance. On top of the health insurance challenges, the Tantons have been making monthly round trips to Ohio at least one week a month, clocking in around 2,000 miles. They also have to pay out of pocket for hotels, food, medications, fuel, car rentals and car insurance, etc.
Moving challenges
All of that has left them with no other option than to move to Ohio, which they are willing to do for their daughter. But the move hasn’t been easy…