This Week's Forum West and South

Something's Fishy in Howard Beach

Man Arrested in Ridgewood for Murder of Pace Student

Woman Sentenced to Six Months for Fatal Accident

Dispute Brewing Over VFW Hall's Liquor License

SUM Totaled: Graffiti Vandal Caught Thanks to Resident's Tip

Group Builds New Playgrounds at Two Local Elementary Schools

The Fianances of Cancer Care: Making Things a Little Easier

Something's Fishy in Howard Beach

DEP’s Temporary Facility Fails to Save Fish

By Patricia Adams

The sight and smell of what appeared to be thousands of dead fish in Shellbank Basin, the waterway which runs parallel to Crossbay Blvd. in Howard Beach, angered and upset local residents during the long Labor Day weekend.

City Councilman Joe Addabbo reported that a constituent, who had called 311 to report the problem, notified him on Friday after business hours via his 24 hour live hotline.

“That constituent was upset by being told a clean up would be in 10-14 days. That's not acceptable,” Addabbo said, “I responded by immediately going myself to the Starbucks vicinity to see the problem firsthand.” Addabbo then called the mayor's office, which responded by sending out DEP to clean up fish within 48 hours. "I'm thankful a constituent called my 24 hour service and that the mayor's office and DEP responded. I believe now we need to get answers from the NY State DEC as to how the situation occurred and how it can be avoided in the future."

That DEP was on scene and cleaning up was confirmed by Community Board 10 Chairperson Betty Braton. “My home abuts Shellbank Basin,” she said, “DEP's boat and personnel were there working throughout the holiday weekend.”

Similar occurrences in the past have been blamed on a lack of oxygen in the water, causing fish to die. One contributing factor is that the depth of the water in the northern end of Shellbank Basin is considerably deeper than it is further south in the waterway.

Braton also reported that the Community Board office had informed DEP, both by phone and letter; over two weeks ago that some water discoloration and odors were present; usually precursors to a lack of oxygen in the water. “We felt that perhaps the temporary destratification system was not working properly and asked them to investigate," she said.

A number of years ago the NY City DEP initiated a temporary facility located at 158-35 Crossbay Blvd. and tested to see if a destratification system, essentially an aerator powered by a compressor, would increase dissolved oxygen levels. The agency thought a compressor introducing air into the water through tubes laid on the bottom at the deeper end of the canal would aid in preventing the de-oxygenation that periodically occurs.

The temporary system did help, according to local residents, and the instances of discolorition, foul odors, and fish kill lessened in recent years. As a result DEP sought to erect a permanent destratification facility. They selected a site located in the southern section of the Starbucks parking lot to install the system.

The city's planned acquisition of that site was approved by Community Board 10 in April 2007, by the Queens Borough President, Helen Marshall, in May 2007, and by the City Planning Commission in July of that year. Councilman Addabbo also supported the planned permanent facility.

According to Community Board 10, its District Manager, Karyn Petersen spoke with DEP officials on Tuesday. At this point DEP has not determined the cause.

At this point, some local leaders think the problem may be that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has not yet approved necessary permits to allow construction to start or has prevented the temporary facility from being operation during the interim. If that's the case, as one waterfront resident aptly commented, “It stinks and they better fix it.”

In another phone call with DEP on Tuesday afternoon from CB 10, DEP indicated that the temporary facility is in operation at this time. As of Wednesday afternoon, it appears however that there is still a major problem with a foul smell emanating throughout the neighborhood and thousands of dead fish floating on top of the water and washing up along the shores of the basin.

Man Arrested in Ridgewood for Murder of Pace Student

By Conor Greene

The search for the killer of a Pace University student ended on Onderdonk Avenue Tuesday with the arrest of a drifter who admitted to the brutal slaying, according to police.

Jeromie Cancel, 22, allegedly told police he shoved a plastic bag down 19-year-old Kevin Pravia’s mouth and then strangled the honors student with a television cord. After the murder, he remained in the victim’s Chelsea apartment for several hours, watching the horror movie “Saw” before stealing a laptop computer, cell phone and iPod.

The search for Pravia’s killer ended just before 1 p.m. on Tuesday, when Cancel showed up at his father’s apartment. The two had been estranged until June, when Cancel briefly moved with his father, Jesus Soto. However, just weeks later Cancel stole various electronics from his father and left the apartment.

He returned on Tuesday to brag to his father about killing Pravia, who he had met early Saturday morning in Union Square park. “All the time he was gloating, like it didn’t mean nothing to him,” Soto told the Daily News. “He was not remorseful, like he was happy with what he did. He had this big smile on him.”

As he was being led of out of the 10th Precinct stationhouse on Tuesday night, Cancel was asked why he murdered Pravia. “Because I wanted to,” he yelled to reporters. “You got a problem with that?”

Pravia, a sophomore at Pace, was last seen at about 5:30 a.m. Saturday, getting into a cab after leaving a party near the South Street Seaport. Cancel told police that he ran into Pravia about thirty minutes later, when he offered to sell the drunken student drugs. The pair then went to Pravia’s apartment on W. 15th Street, according to police.

Shortly after the men reached the apartment, Cancel decided to rob Pravia after the student fell asleep. He punched the native of Massachusetts in the face and stuffed the plastic bag in his mouth before strangling him. He remained in the apartment until about 11 a.m., watching “Saw” as Pravia lay dead nearby in just his boxer shorts.

Pravia’s body was discovered on Sunday by his roommate Josephine Madonna, who was an old friend from Massachusetts. The pair had reportedly just moved in the apartment two weeks before.

Some of his unpacked belongings were still in the hallway when police entered the building to investigate the homicide. An unidentified neighbor in the building said she ran upstairs when she heard screams coming from the fifth floor and found the victim’s roommate screaming hysterically, “He’s dead. He’s dead.” The woman said she saw Pravia “lying on his bed, not moving.”

According to a police source, Cancel began bragging about the murder after police arrested him on larceny charges. “When we locked him up, he starting saying he was going to be famous,” the source said. “He was very cocky about it all. He basically told the officers he had killed someone,” providing specific details only the killer would know, according to sources.

Pravia moved to the city from Peru, Massachusetts, which is about 10 miles from the New York border near Albany. A Facebook page dedicated to him was quickly put together by family and friends, and the principal of Pravia’s former high school remembered him as a “quiet, polite and respectful young man,” according to The Berkshire Eagle.

Woman Sentenced to Six Months for Fatal Accident

Killed Elderly Man While Driving Drunk on Metro Ave

By Conor Greene

A Glendale woman was sentenced to six months in prison for her role in a drunken hit-and-run accident on Metropolitan Avenue last year that claimed the life of an 81-year-old man.

In an emotional hearing in Queens Criminal Court last week that included statements by the victim’s son and daughter, Diana Toro was sentenced for the accident in Middle Village last October 8 that took the life of Franz Fuerch as his wife looked on in horror.

Toro, 30, pled guilty in June to second-degree vehicular manslaughter in exchange for a sentence that included a six-month jail term and five years probation. She initially had also been charged with criminally negligent homicide, drunk driving and leaving the scene of an accident.

During last Thursday’s sentencing in Queens Criminal Court, the victim’s daughter said she is “disappointed” to be a resident of a state that offers such “leniency” to an individual responsible for the death of another person. “As a daughter, I’m broken, and as a mother, I’m frightened,” she said. “Your actions, Diana Toro, had consequences to my family... You robbed my father of his life. He will not see another birthday because of your carelessness.”

The accident occurred just before 11 a.m. near 74th Street as Toro was driving her Plymouth Voyager minivan from work to pick up her daughter at daycare. She lost control of the vehicle and swerved into a parked car before hitting Fuerch, who was getting into his parked VW Passat.

After hitting Fuerch, Toro drove away from the scene but was detained several blocks away until police arrived. Fuerch was pronounced dead a shot time later at Elmhurst Hospital Center, and Toro was arrested after failing sobriety tests.

Before Toro received her sentence, Richard Fuerch, one of the victim’s sons, addressed the court. Unlike his sister, he didn’t express disappointment with the sentence that was about to be handed down.

“Diana Toro caused [my father’s death] by recklessly driving a car while intoxicated at 10:30 in the morning,” he said. “My mother witnessed his broken and bleeding body lying on the street.”

Fuerch recalled his father as a “dear husband” and “beloved father” who took joy from “the simple things” such as having lunch with his wife at local Polish restaurants or taking her to the bakery, which is what they were doing when he was killed. “Just taking Mom to the bakery for a loaf of bread was a cherished act,” he said. “He always greeted us with a huge smile of joy.”

The victim’s wife was not in court for the sentencing and has suffered greatly due to the loss of her partner, according to the family. “Her grief became so great that she had to be hospitalized,” said Richard Fuerch. “She can no longer tend to her needs.”

He said that Toro must “live with this fact that her actions led to my father’s death” and “must spend time in prison to reflect on her actions. “I miss my father deeply,” he said. “I think about him every day.”

Speaking through a translator, Toro said she knows she “did something cruel” and asked the family for forgiveness. “I’m prepared for what comes next and promise to be a better citizen,” she said.

Following the sentencing, Toro’s attorney, Robert DiDio said his client had finished working a midnight to 8 a.m. shift and had “a couple of drinks” with co-workers before heading home. He described her as a single mother who “has a spotless record” and is a hard worker. “Sometimes we made bad choices with tragic results,” he said.

Toro is expected to serve four months in jail before being released. She was also fined $1,000 and her drivers license was revoked. Queens District Attorney Richard Brown’s office refused to comment on the sentence Toro received.

Photo: Richard Fuerch (right) leaves Queens Criminal Court with family and supporters after the driver who killed his father last October was sentenced for her role in the wreck.

Dispute Brewing Over VFW Post’s Liquor License

Hearing During Wednesday’s CB5 Meeting

By Conor Greene

A dispute over outdoor drinking at a local VFW post has pitted neighbors who want peace and quiet, against local war veterans just trying to have a good time and relax with friends.

Members of Haspel Staab Post 551 on 60th Avenue have applied to the State Liquor Authority to extend the club’s liquor license to include the 20 foot by 40 foot paved side yard. Some nearby residents are opposed to the request and want the license to remain as is, restricting the drinking to indoors, according to Ralph DeSanto, who filed a complaint with the state and circulated a petition.

DeSanto has lived in the house next to the post’s building since 1962. He said that until two years ago, no events had ever been held in the side yard since the post occupied the building in about 1970. He claims that this year, events have regularly spilled into the yard, and also alleges that the post has rented the space out for non-member functions.

He did say that “the post has gotten quieter in August” after the state began investigating his complaint. However, he doesn’t want any outdoor drinking to be allowed. “These parties have adversely affected our families and our quality of life,” he said. “We cannot sit in our homes without what we consider excessive noise.”

A public hearing on the post’s request to expand its license will be held at Wednesday’s Community Board 5 meeting, even though it is not required, said District Manager Gary Giordano. On one side will be residents say the post’s gatherings interfere with their quality of life; on the other will be members who say the issue is overblown and has become a personal vendetta carried out by DeSanto.

As a result of the battle with some neighbors, the post has decided to put the building at 84-02 60th Avenue up for sale, according to its commander, Michael Brown. “This is so overblown,” he said of the dispute.

Brown said that the only events held at the hall this year were a Memorial Day barbecue and a party during the July 4th parade. A “small picnic” is planned for this Sunday, along with an October 18 “fundraiser for the troops,” according to Brown. He said the post “absolutely never” rented the hall out for non-member functions.

“It’s a very low key place – I would like to have them as my neighbors,” said Brown. “It’s just this guy has a viciousness against us.” He said that DeSanto’s brother was previously banned from the post for “inappropriate behavior.”

Brown said the “majority” of events are held inside the hall, with the yard mostly used for cooking. “We just wanted to get an amendment to the license in case of the Memorial Day parade, to cover our behinds,” he said, explaining that DeSanto called the police this year because of their party, but no tickets were issued.

The CB 5 hearing comes after residents supporting both sides submitted petitions, said Giordano. He said complaints “about people outside making noise is not going to get their liquor license revoked, but it might get the SLA to pay attention to them.”

The SLA wouldn’t confirm that it is investigating DeSanto’s complaints, but noted that the post doesn’t have any prior violations.

The Juniper Park Civic Association, which represents about 1,650 families in the area, opposed the post’s request in a July letter to the SLA. The civic’s president, Robert Holden, said the group has “received complaints from nearby neighbors who have stated that the post is already having parties outdoors, serving liquor and in general making noise that has disrupted the neighborhood.”

While recognizing the sacrifice made to the country by the military and the post’s “charitable efforts in our community,” Holden argues that “it is not right for this VFW Post to feel that they can disrupt their neighbors by extending their entertainment outdoors.”

The group’s vice president, Lorraine Sciulli, said in an interview that “constant outdoor partying is out of the question” and that “it is unfortunate that the VFW feels they have the right to these disruptive outdoor celebrations.”

In response, Brown said the civic has yet to approach the post directly with any specific complaints.

Thomas Monaghan, an attorney representing the post in the liquor license request, stressed that “no one has the right to use their property to the annoyance and harassment of surrounding property owners... But that doesn’t mean they can’t barbecue and sit out in the yard and have conversations and listen to music moderately. That’s what life is all about in the big city – we live shoulder to shoulder.”

For DeSanto, the solution is simple – keep the party inside. “Our block would be satisfied if the post returned to its traditional respect for the neighbors and kept the parties inside, as it has done for years,” he said. “Mike Brown is a good man who has been seeking to revitalize the post, but I think he made a mistake two years ago by bringing the noise and drinking outdoors.”

According to Brown, the post might end up leaving the neighborhood if it gets an acceptable offer for the building. “If the people don’t want us, we’re going to go,” he said. “We would really prefer not to, we want to be an asset to the community and try to help and do the right thing.”

In the opinion of Monaghan, who lives in Broad Channel and isn’t a post member, the issue has simply “gotten out of hand” and should end in an amicable manner. However, after several letters were exchanged between the post and DeSanto, the two sides were un- able to reach a compromise.

“Ironically, it was Fourth of July that broke the camel’s back, singing God Bless America,” said Monaghan. “I feel sorry for everybody as it could get messy and expensive. What’sthe point? I suggested they sit down and have a hamburger and beer and work it out. But not in the alley.”

Group Builds New Playgrounds at Two Elementary Schools

Out2Play Upgrades Equipment at PS 81 and PS 153

By Conor Greene

Children at two local schools will have brand new playground equipment to keep them active during recess this year, as part of an effort by a non-profit group to ensure that every city school features room for students to get exercise.

New playgrounds at PS 153 in Maspeth and PS 81 in Ridgewood have been completed in time for the school year, according to Andrea Wenner, founder of Out2Play. The organization, launched three years ago, transforms empty asphalt lots adjacent to schools into playgrounds and has turned its attention to Queens for the first time.

“When I first started it, we surveyed all of the elementary schools in the city and found that close to 300 didn’t have playgrounds,” said Wenner. “They had the space, which was just an empty lot sitting there, and the kids would go outside and just stand around and not be especially active while out there.”

Wenner’s vision was launched while she was in business school at Columbia University, after working with a group that rebuilds high school athletic fields as part of a public-private partnership.

“I used to live near an elementary school that didn’t have a playground and thought, ‘why not do the same thing at the elementary level,’” she recalled. “I initially thought it was a space issue, so my first vision was to build playgrounds on rooftops of schools. I realized that a lot of schools did have space at ground level, which made it infinitely easier.”

Out2Play uses a combination of public and private funding, with money coming from city council members, borough presidents, residents, foundations and corporate sponsors. The organization works with the individual school on a specific design for the playground, and then hires the contractor and manages the project until completion.

“The only thing the schools are responsible for once it’s done is maintaining the playground,” said Wenner. “Of course, we also want their input for the design.”

By the end of the fall, Wenner expects that Out2Play will have overseen the construction or refurbishment of playgrounds at 40 schools citywide over the past three years. Her goal is to install playgrounds at 160 schools by 2011, leaving her with about 120 to go. Last year, the group built 14 playgrounds in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan using $2.5 million. This year, it is working on 26 playgrounds using about $5.5 million.

“At the very outset we focused on the Bronx and got traction there,” said Wenner. “We then made a push to make it a citywide program and expanded to all five boroughs this year.” It turns out that the need has been greatest in the Bronx and Brooklyn, as many schools in Queens already have playgrounds, according to Wenner.

However, Wenner still recognized the need for playgrounds at some schools in Queens, and decided to include PS 153 and PS 81 in her effort to bring Out2Play citywide. “We got a lot of support from Helen Marshall and worked with her office to take a look at different schools in Queens that needed playgrounds,” she said.

The project at PS 81 includes upgrades to the large yard behind the main school building at 559 Cypress Avenue and installation of a metal play structure behind the annex building on Seneca Avenue, according to Wenner. Work there is expected to be completed by the end of this week and includes slides, climbers, trees, benches, chess tables and blacktop games such as hopscotch, four-square and volleyball.

The project at PS 153, located on 60th Lane, was finished last week. Along with slides, climbers, trees, benches and blacktop games, the playground there features a rock climbing wall.

“Our goal is to make sure that every elementary school in the city that needs a playground gets one,” said Wenner. “We’re looking for all the support we can get to achieve our goal, both from public and private [sources]. People always assume it is a space issue when they hear that schools don’t have a playground, but the fact is the majority of those schools do have some sort of outdoor space that hasn’t been developed into anything usable as far as a playground.”

For more information about the organization, check Out2Play.org.

SUM Totaled: Graffiti Vandal Caught Thanks to Resident's Tip

By Patricia Adams

The reign of the graffiti vandal known throughout the communities of Ozone Park, Richmond Hill and Woodhaven as Sum Z, ended with his arrest at about 4:30 a.m. on Saturday. Police in five precincts, four in Queens and one in Brooklyn, have been looking for the elusive bandit for nearly a year. Authorities say he is responsible for tagging hundreds of locations and his etchings have been seen as far as Gerritsen Beach in Brooklyn.

John Colasanti, a 35-year-old unemployed white male, was taken into custody after he was observed by a neighborhood civic member on his way home from work. Scott Jordan was driving home after 4 am on Saturday when he observed an 18-wheeler parked near the triangle at 87th street and Rockaway Blvd.

“I saw movement and then I saw a man and a woman. The man was spraying something on the truck. I moved my vehicle so the lights would shine on the truck and that’s when I saw the word SUM.” Jordan said he was overwhelmed with excitement over the sight because the graffiti vandal known as SUM had been plaguing his community and many others for many months. “All I could think was, we got him. We got him.”

Jordan called 911 and told the operator that he had one of the most notorious grafitti vandals Queens has ever known in his sights. “I stayed behind them, about 25 feet or so, and just kept calling the police.” At one point Jordan said the woman who was with Colasanti, identified as a 22-year old black female named Lindo Z., approached him in his truck to ask him if he wanted a date. “The woman was a prostitute. She thought I was looking for a girl.” Jordan said he let her know immediately he wasn’t at all interested in what she was selling.

When police from the 102 arrived at the scene they verified with Jordan that he had seen SUM and his girlfriend tagging the truck. “I saw him write out the Z and then she filled it in”. Jordan said that Colasanti was carrying two knapsacks, one of which was filled with cans of Krylon spray paint at the time of his arrest as well as a small bucket with a paint roller and a handful of stencils made from cardboard he used to outline his tags.

Jordan was recognized for his help in the arrest at a Town Hall meeting of the Our Neighbors Civic Association on Tuesday evening in Ozone Park. In addition to getting the reward offered by the NYPD for the arrest and capture of SUM, Jordan received citations from Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer and Councilman Joe Addabbo.

The 106 Pct Graffiti Unit Coordinator, Officer Frank Reina, told The Forum that the capture of Sum Z was a tremendous coup for the police. “This individual was brazenly traveling around all of our neighboring communities and managed to tag hundreds of locations.” Reina, who is well known through- out the precinct for his continuous efforts over the years to wipe out graffiti in the 106, says Sum Z was the most challenging. “All that matters is that we got this guy. Now we are looking for the DA’s office to prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law.”

The commanding officer of the 102 Pct, where the actual collar was made, Captain Charles McEvoy, and Community Affairs Officer, John McCoy were both on hand to talk about the arrest. “Our success in this arrest is because of community participation and because of Scott Jordan,” said McEvoy. “This vandal has finally been put behind bars where he belongs.” Captain McEvoy said that the NYPD Vandals Squad and personnel from the 106 were called in and that all those involved went to DA Brown’s office collectively to offer prosecutors a complete picture of the widespread damage caused by the man known as SUM.

Officer McCoy was responsible for debriefing Colasanti back at the precinct and it was then that the vandal disclosed the origin of his tag. SUM was derived from the words awesome and handsome, allegedly suggested by Colasanti’s cousin. McCoy also explained to residents at the meeting that the reason some of the tags read only SUM was due to Colasanti being alone when he tagged them. When accompanied by his girlfriend he attached the Z for the first letter of her last name.

Colasanti remains incarcerated, having not posted the required $10,000 bail, and is scheduled to return to court on September 11.

Photo: Democratic District Leader Frank Gulluscio presents community activist Scott Jordan with a citation from Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer.

The Finances of Cancer Care: Making Things a Little Easier

Having cancer is certainly difficult enough and when the crisis hits, the last thing you need be concerned with is money. You should not have to worry about health insurance and taking care of all the costs associated with cancer care. But the reality is you need to be prepared with how to deal with the monetary obligations associated with cancer.

Most hospitals and medical facilities have representatives who are able to deal with your questions and insurance problems. Look at your own policy to determine exactly what your coverage provides for. If you are not up to doing this yourself, rely on a family member or close friend who is up to handling the task for you.

There are laws that protect your rights as a patient, and you would do well to make sure you incorporate all of the benefits of these into your care program.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): This act provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year beyond whatever sick leave you are entitled to at work. Under this law, your employer is required to maintain your health coverage during the leave.

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA): This give workers and their families the right to continue group health insurance benefits for a limited time, usually 18 months, after they lose benefits due to a job loss, reduced work hours or other life events.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): This prohibits discrimination against employees and their dependents enrolled in group health plans based on their health status, provides for coverage under group health plans that limit exclusions for preexisting conditions and allow individuals to enroll in a new plan under certain circumstances.

For more information on the above resources, go to the Department of Labor’s Web site at www.dol.gov

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): This act prohibits employment discrimination in the private sector and in state and local government employment against qualified individuals with disabilities. For more information, go to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Web site at www.eeoc.gov

If you do not have sufficient insurance to cover the costs of care or you need help with co-payments, here you will find some of the resources available to you to provide financial assistance to help you pay the bills.

The Health Well Foundation: This group provides financial assistance to patients with breast cancer, colorectal carcinoma, cutaneous T-call lymphoma, carcinoid tumors and chemotherapy induced anemia or neutropenia. If you qualify, the Foundation will grant you full or partial assistance for up to 12 months.

Please refer to www.healthwellfoundation.org for details.

The Patient Advocate Foundation: This co-pay relief program provides direct financial support for prescription co-payments to insured patients being treated for breast, lung, prostate, kidney, colon, and pancreatic cancers, head and neck cancers, malignant brain tumors, multiple myeloma and chemotherapy related complications. For more information go to www.patientadvocate.org

CancerCare Inc.: Limited financial assistance for pain medication, home care, childcare and transportation for patients with all types of cancers as well as limited assistance to pay for hormonal and oral chemotherapy is provided here, as well as anti-nausea medication, lymphedema supplies and durable medical equipment
for patients with breast cancer. See www.cancer- care.org for more information

The Chronic Disease Fund : The Fund offers to pay some out-of-pocket expenses for underinsured patients with breast cancer, colorectal cancer, multiple myeloma, and non-small cell lung cancer. The fund considers income levels by geographic area and the number of household dependents. See more at www.cdfund.org

Children’s Leukemia Research Association: They help to pay for care not covered by insurance. www.childrensleukemia.org

Bone Marrow Foundation Patient Aid Program: This program can cover the cost of donor searches, compatibility testing, bone marrow procurement, medication, transportation, housing expenses and many other ancillary costs associated with a transplant. Go to their web site at www.bonemarrow.org.

Free or Low Cost Prescriptions: Most of the major pharmaceutical companies and
biotechnology companies offer patient assistance programs (PAP’s) to uninsured patients to help you get needed cancer medications. There are income eligibility requirements to qualify for assistance, but the requirements vary widely.

Most PAP’s require and income ceiling of about twice the federal poverty level, but some go as high as $60,000. Biotech companies generally have higher income limits to qualify because their products can be more expensive. PAP’s also require patients be uninsured for drugs, a US citizen and proof of income.

Additional Sources of Information:

Amagen Reimbursement Connection: www.amgen.com/patients/assitance.html
Bristol-Meyers Squibb Patient Assistance Foundation: www.bmspaf.org
Genetech’s Single Point of Contact: www.spoconline.com
GlaxoSmithKline’s Commitment to Access: www.commitmenttoaccess.gsk.com
Lilly Cares: www.lillycares.com
Needy Meds: www.needymeds.com
Partnership for Perscription Assitance: www.pparx.org
RxAssist and Rx Outreach Patients Assistance Programs: www.rxassist.org
RxHope: www.rxhope.com
Together Rx Access: www.togetherrxaccess.com

While we hope to offer useful information and helpful tips about things that may make the process of coping with cancer easier, please remember that this feature series is in no way meant to act in place of medical advice or prescribed treatments. It is meant as a resource and a tool to be used in conjunction with other aides that patients, their families and caregivers may benefit from. Always speak to your doctor or a qualified medical professional before taking steps or making changes in your healthcare regimen.