Emotional pleas to make Frank’s Law a reality have been made by families struggling to get the care their loved ones need.
Dozens of people have already responded to a consultation on the Holyrood bid to abolish care charges for under-65s with debilitating conditions.
The campaign is run by Amanda Kopel in memory of her husband and Dundee United hero Frank, who passed away in 2014 after she toiled to fund the support he needed for his dementia.
The consultation to the member’s bill from Miles Briggs MSP was launched last week.
Many of the responses speak of the anguish that patients and their families have suffered, with the struggle to secure care compounding the horror of conditions like dementia.
Maureen Carrie said she has been forced out of employment to look after her husband because of the prohibitive costs of someone else doing it.
But she says without earning a wage she cannot afford to pay for call-out costs for things like his profile bed, electric toilet and mobility scooter.
“I am worried sick about these charges and am falling into a depression myself,” she told the consultation.
“I finish work this Friday and am dreading next Monday when I will not be going to work. So yes I think it is a must that personal care should be free for the under 65s.”
Fiona Purchase has to pay nearly £130 a week for the care of her 63-year-old husband, who has Parkinson’s. She fears she will have to give up work.
“It is a breach of human rights to force people with a disability to pay for the support upon which they depend,” she said.
“Life is hard enough without these charges.”
Lynne Graham lost her “wonderful father” to dementia in 2014. She said her mum had to pay for everything to fund his care.
“This disease like so many others shows no mercy or discrimination,” she told the consultation. “So why should sufferers and their families be discriminated against due to age?”
James Mackenzie said the age of 65 is an “arbitrary limit” to care.
He added: “There is no reason younger people should pay when they need personal care.
“The welfare state exists to share risks and support those in need, and there could hardly be a more obvious example than personal care required by a debilitating condition.”
Kevin Campbell said: “I believe it’s farcical that people who will likely die before they get their pension are not being given the financial support to allow them to die with dignity surrounded by their loved ones.”
Stephen McGrellis added: “Nobody can predict when they will be ill so to put an age barrier on any treatment is not only discriminate, but morally wrong.”
The Courier, as well as all of Holyrood’s opposition parties, have backed the law, which is about giving patients with conditions such as dementia the same rights to free care as older people.
A senior SNP source has vowed it will make it onto the statue books.
Former health secretary Alex Neil, an SNP MSP, has also backed it.
Mrs Kopel said the responses make her even more passionate about forcing Frank’s Law onto the statue book.
“I have walked in these people’s shoes, I know the struggle it is and it makes me even more determined,” she said.
Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said Frank’s Law must happen to end “unfair age discrimination”.
“I am delighted that I have already received dozens of responses to my member’s bill proposal consultation in the first few days of the consultation period and that the overwhelming majority of responses are fully supportive of the proposal and back implementing Frank’s Law,” he added.
The Scottish Government is running a feasibility study to “consider the costs, benefits, challenges and consequences of extending free personal care”.
The consultation runs until October 6. Have your say at www.parliament.scot/proposed-under-65s-care-bill