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Facing financial ruin is bad enough.

Try facing it while facing death as well.

That was the unfortunate scenario for hundreds of New Brunswickers with colorectal cancer, when the drug they needed to help them survive was Avastin.

But that life-giving medication came with a $1,500 a week bill that most drug plans and the province would not cover.

That left patients with a gut-wrenching choice: fight to live and go in debt, or fight without the needed drug. What a horrendous situation under which to battle cancer.

This week, Health Minister Mary Schryer made that fight much easier when she announced that as of Dec. 1, the province will pick up the bill for Avastin. That leaves Prince Edward Island as the only province still forcing its colorectal patients to pay.

Six months ago, then-health minister Mike Murphy blamed this situation on the federal government, saying he needed financial help from them in order to fund the drug. But the cabinet shuffle shortly after this came with a new minister who was much more committed to the issue.

"I said when I was made minister of health it was something I want to accomplish," said Schryer. "I went to my colleagues, to the premier, and said, 'We really need to do this, and we need to do it now.' And the premier said, 'You're absolutely right.'"

Her attitude and the mounting pressure seem to have worked.

There was more good news out of the health department this week. Dr. Eshwar Kumar of the NB Cancer Network announced the development of what he deems one of the best colorectal cancer screening programs in the country. He anticipates that a process to test for blood in feces - an early sign of pre-cancerous cells - will be offered to everyone over 50 in the next few years.

The program is in the development stage, but it's a positive step toward early detection and prevention.

Not everyone is that lucky, however.

Fredericton resident Andrew Goodridge has already paid a handsome price for his treatments and has just undergone surgery in Toronto to remove a tumour. Should he need another round of Avastin, thankfully, it will be paid for.

But Quispamsis resident Frank Taylor, who lives in Schryer's riding, is deeply in debt because of his need for Avastin. His treatment with the drug is complete, so he will not benefit from this decision.

Taylor borrowed $27,000 from the bank to fund his treatment earlier this year, and because of his age and poor health, the loan was not insured. That means whether he lives or dies, that loan will have to be paid back, by him or his widow.

Taylor was very vocal in his crusade to have Avastin paid for. He collected thousands of signatures on a petition, just to have it rejected by the legislature because many of them were electronic signatures - as if a man fighting colorectal cancer had the strength and means to travel the province to drum up support for this cause.

So while many current and future patients will benefit from free Avastin, let's not forget those who have blazed the trail to prompt this welcome decision.