A family desperate for help for their daughter undergoing clinical trials in Montreal took their fight to Confederation Building yesterday.

Chelsie Coombs was diagnosed with stage 4 squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue last year. Her family says she is showing miraculous progress after undergoing clinical trials in Montreal, but all her expenses are out of pocket and her family is running out of options to keep the treatments going.

Coombs’ mother, Rhonda Chancey,, says they want government to consider treatments that are showing great promise, and support those who choose to undergo clinical trials.

“This is the last-resort treatment.” says Chancey. who says officials in NL told her there was no funding for the treatments in this province. According to policy, the provincial government doesn’t fund clinical trials.

Chancey, who along with her husband Allan Coombs, protested outside Confederation Building yesterday, says Chelsie is responding well to the clinical trials.

Chancey says if Chelsie had to stay in Newfoundland she’s convinced “that she’d be dead.”