American conservative commentator Glenn Beck has pledged to personally cover the costs of surgical treatment in the United States for Jolene Van Alstine, a Regina woman diagnosed with a rare parathyroid disorder, after Saskatchewan health officials approved her for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) due to unavailable surgeons and specialists in the province.
In a broadcast on Blaze Media, Beck described the case as insanity in Canada's universal healthcare system, citing resource shortages and extended wait times that critics say drive patients toward MAID rather than treatment.
"If there is any surgeon in America who can do this, I’ll pay for this patient to come down here for treatment," Beck stated, offering to fund travel, the procedure and related expenses.
Van Alstine, enduring an eight-year ordeal with no in-province options, responded positively to the offer, with coordination underway via NDP MLA Jared Clarke.
Beck's commitment draws from his personal resources and philanthropic efforts through Mercury One, which has raised over $50 million for humanitarian causes.
