WPBN: Starting on January 1, a number of new laws will go into force in the state of Minnesota.
Any individual who is having hair loss as a result of a medical condition is required under one of the new laws to have their insurance company pay for the expense of wigs.
People who suffered from alopecia were the only ones who were eligible for this coverage under the statute.
Reopening the boxes that contain her wigs does not bring back happy memories for Parry Bartholomew; rather, it serves as a reminder of how thankful she was to have them in her possession.
“These helped so much. Not only does it give you a feeling of normalcy, but I’ll tell you – it’s cold to have a bald head in the middle of winter,” she stated.
She was given a diagnosis of stage 4 ovarian cancer in 2016, which is a type of cancer that does not have an early detection test and has symptoms that are not clear.
“When I was originally diagnosed, I was told my chances of living five years were less than 35%, and I’m now at 9 years,” she stated.
Bartholomew serves as the vice chair of the board of directors for the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance, which is responsible for providing assistance, funding research, and raising awareness about the condition.
“When you lose all your hair, your eyebrows, your eyelashes, you feel like all your control has been taken away from you. You feel very vulnerable,” she stated.
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It is possible for wigs to cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on the kind and quality of the wig. This adds an additional strain during a time that is already overwhelming.
“You’re not only fighting the disease, but you’re sitting with all these bills landing on you,” Bartholomew stated.
Former Democratic Party Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic, who passed away on Friday after a long battle with ovarian cancer, was the one who initially proposed the law.
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“I didn’t really want to show up on the senate floor bald, so I went to buy a wig. I had the resources to buy the wig, but not everybody does,” Dziedzic stated.
The effort that Dziedzic has put out is something that Bartholomew expresses her gratitude for.
“She had a great impact. Not only for her tireless advocacy for people with cancer, but she shared her own personal story with ovarian cancer,” she stated.
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