Christian, who suffers from a brain tumor, is campaigning to make it easier for patients to borrow money.
- At a press conference, Christian spoke about how his brain tumor reduced his chances of being able to borrow money.
- “I find this type of battle unfair,” he said, underlining his desire to change things.
- Difficult to treat, brain cancers affect all age groups.
“Just because you’re sick doesn’t mean you can’t make plans, otherwise it’s double jeopardy.” At a press conference dedicated to brain cancer, Christian recounted the fight he had to go through to obtain a mortgage despite this illness.
Brain cancer: “Borrowing was a path of suffering”
“In 2009, I wanted to borrow for a real estate project, and I naively thought that by working in a bank myself, I wouldn’t have too many worries”explains Christian. “But it was a path of suffering. I was refused by five insurance companies, all of which required me to undergo medical tests that had very little to do with my brain tumor. All of this to be told no,” he laments.
“I finally found one. It cost me a lot of money, but I’m grateful because it allowed us to get the apartment we had been dreaming of,” he rejoices.
“I think this type of battle is unfair. Consumer organisations have already done a lot in this area, but I think there is still progress to be made,” adds Christian.
“We need to make things happen so that credit is accessible to people suffering from brain cancer. Indeed, as researchers progress, we are treating this type of pathology better and better and more and more people are surviving it. So society needs to integrate it! For example, I am still here,” he emphasizes.
Brain cancer: “We must extend the Lemoine law”
“Under European impetus, the Lemoine law has already opened a door in 2022, by allowing people with brain cancer to benefit from the right to be forgotten after five years. It also authorizes patients to borrow up to 200,000 euros for a real estate project or consumer credit, on condition that they repay it before the age of 60.”recalls our patient.
“That’s very good, but it’s not enough. So I’m currently working with a member of parliament so that the Lemoine law increases to 300,000 euros and extends at least to the age of 65.”concludes Christian, loudly applauded by the hundreds of people present in the room.
Brain cancer: all age groups are affected
Brain cancers affect all age groups. Several types of tumors exist: pituitary adenoma, astrocytoma, ependymoma, glioblastoma, glioma, meningioma, neuroma, neurofibroma and oligodendroglioma.
Today, the treatment of brain cancers remains particularly difficult due to 4 factors:
1) the location of these tumors, which complicates surgery;
2) the blood-brain barrier responsible for protecting the brain, which prevents effective penetration of anti-cancer drugs;
3) the fragility of brain tissue in the face of radiotherapy;
4) resistance of tumors to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
