Valerie Harper's husband: Why I refuse to put Val in hospice care, despite doctors' urging
Valerie Harper's husband, Tony Cacciotti, is opening up to fans about why he "can't" and "won't" put the ailing actress in hospice care.
In a message shared on Harper's official Facebook page Tuesday, Cacciotti wrote that he has a commitment to his wife that prevents him to listening to doctors' recommendations about her brain condition.
"I have been told by doctors to put Val in Hospice care and I can’t [because of our 40 years of shared commitment to each other] and I won’t because of the amazing good deeds she has graced us with while she’s been here on earth," he wrote.
Harper, 79, known for roles on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Rhoda," overcame a 2009 lung cancer diagnosis. She revealed in 2013 that she had terminal brain cancer. Tests revealed leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, a rare condition that occurs when cancer cells spread into the fluid-filled membrane surrounding the brain. Harper told People magazine at the time she was opting for chemo.
Earlier this month, a GoFundMe campaign was created by a relative to help offset Harper's medical expenses.
Cacciotti added that he would make sure that Harper, his wife of more than three decades, is taken care of for "as long as the powers above allow us," as he put it. "So as long as I’m able and capable, I’ll be where I belong right beside her."
"For those of you who have been in this position, you will totally understand that 'it’s hard letting go,' wrote Cacciotti. "Many, many thanks for your outpouring of kindness and support."
Contributing: Erin Jensen
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Valerie Harper's husband Tony Cacciotti: I won't put her in hospice
