Cancer Crossing helps man living north of Winnipeg

Cancer Crossing has been asked to assist a man in his early 60s with progressive cancer of the head and neck. While he lives closer to Winnipeg than many others that we assist, his financial needs are every bit as daunting. His condition has deteriorated and he was on EI benefits and applying for CPP. He came to Winnipeg for emergency tracheostomy and has a feeding tube. He needed to return for appointments to see his surgical oncologist, radiation oncologist and medical oncologist. All those trips took a toll on his pocket as did extra medical supplies not covered by Manitoba Health, and he fell behind on his bills. Since he is prioritizing his housing expenses we assisted with transportation expenses so he can continue to drive to care in Winnipeg. We are pleased to be able to offer help thanks to donations from people just like you. Donate at http://www.cancercrossing.org/

Photo credit: Travel Manitoba

 

Cancer research in Canada

Cancer research in Canada is leading the way world wide. One scientist in Toronto has achieved ground breaking discoveries that are acknowledged internationally and have changed the way cancer is treated, leading to better outcomes.

This scientist is Dr. John E. Dick. Dr. Dick was born and raised in a small town near Winnipeg and his elementary schooling was in a one room school house. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Manitoba in 1984 and did his post doctoral research in Toronto. Dr. Dick is a Senior Scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Canada Research Chair in Stem Cell Biology, a Senior Scientist at the McEwen Stem Cell Institute at UHN, a professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto and Director, Program in Cancer Stem Cells at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research.

Dr. Dick discovered cancer stem cells in the 1990s. His first research in this field was in the human blood system and leukemias and his discovery was considered controversial and ground breaking. This discovery lead to new and better treatments for various cancers. His work and his discovery is now being used around the world.

Dr. Dick was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2004, and as a Fellow of the Royal Society (in the UK) in 2014. The Royal Society is the oldest scientific society in the world, dating back to 1663. Other Fellows include Sir Isaac Newton and Steven Hawking. Dr. Dick is in prestigious company indeed. In 2024 Dr. Dick was inducted to the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. See the following links for more of his awards and further explanations of his research and what his achievements have meant in curing cancer and helping untold numbers of people. We are truly fortunate to have a scientist of his caliber in Canada, and many other scientists doing decades of painstaking work for the benefit of humanity.

https://www.uhn.ca/corporate/News/UHN_Podcasts/Behind_the_Breakthrough/Pages/Season2_Episode10_John_Dick.aspx

https://www.cdnmedhall.ca/laureates/johndick

https://www.cdnmedhall.ca/laureates/johndick

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Edgar_Dick

Thank you to Cancer Crossing

 We love hearing feedback from recipients! We are glad to hear the following from a patient earlier this year. She wrote:

What most surprised me about having cancer was how it took over and interrupted my life. The many appointments and long travel time exhausted me and even though treatment is over I am still very tired. My advice to others is to try not to panic. Do all the tests and treatments that are advised for you. I have actively sought peace and it has brought calm into my life. Life is good.

Help for travel costs

 A 60 year old man required monetary help for travel to Brandon for radiation. He has prostate cancer and is receiving 6 weeks of daily radiation. He travels home for weekends and stays in Brandon during the week. Cancer Crossing was contacted and along with our best wishes for renewed health, are pleased to offer a cheque to help offset his costs. You can help cancer patients in need by donating to Cancer Crossing at http://www.cancercrossing.org/

Photo credit: Travel Manitoba

Throat cancer patient asks for help

 A middle age man from Brandon who was being treated for mouth and throat cancer has asked Cancer Crossing for help paying for transportation to Winnipeg for radiation. With no disability insurance he is on EI Sick benefits which is only a portion of his regular pay. His wife is working but also has no benefits that he can access. Cancer Crossing is glad to be able to help with some expenses and wish him well. You can help patients in need by donating at http://www.cancercrossing.org/

Glioma patient receives help

 Cancer Crossing was informed of a young woman with glioma who needed help. She lives near Riding Mountain and travel to Winnipeg for treatment cost $400 as she is unable to drive. With no long or short term disability insurance she relies on EI Sick benefits. Repeated need to travel to Winnipeg was using all her benefits and more. Luckily she asked for help! You too can help cancer patients in need by donating at http://www.cancercrossing.org/

Prostate cancer patient receives travel assistance

 Cancer Crossing is happy to have given aid to a gentleman from western Manitoba. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer which required at least 25 trips to Brandon for treatment, a distance of over 100 km. This would cost a minimum of $1000 in gasoline, which he simply did not have room for in his budget. Imagine his stress after working his whole life and now all the various expenses were more than his pension income. He was working part time to supplement his income in order to pay for this but his need for treatment meant he would not be able to work as much as he wished. Luckily we were contacted and happy to help out. Along with a cheque we send our best wishes to him. Donations are gratefully received at http://www.cancercrossing.org/

Help for metastatic renal cancer patient

Cancer Crossing was asked to assist with expenses for a man with renal (kidney) cancer. He lives in a small town on the east shore of Lake Manitoba. His treatment is in Selkirk which meant a nearly $300 round trip through a local senior's program. Since his treatment is long term he needed financial help to pay for transportation. We are pleased to carry some of the burden for him so that he can concentrate on treatment. You too can help by donating at http://www.cancercrossing.org/

Hereditary cancers

 Up to 10% of all cancers are caused by a genetic change in a cell. Hereditary cancers happen due to this genetic change being passed from parent to child. A family cancer syndrome is a rare disorder where a higher than average risk of cancer is passed down through the family. One of these syndromes is becoming more widely known, and that is Lynch Syndrome.

Lynch Syndrome can cause colon cancer, as well as uterine, ovarian, stomach, pancreatic, kidney, gall bladder, urinary bladder and bile duct cancer at a young age. There are genetic tests available in Manitoba to anyone that has colon cancer at younger than 70 years of age. If the test is positive for Lynch then other family members may be eligible for genetic testing as well. If a parent with the Lynch gene has developed cancer and their child or children have inherited the gene, then those children should get colonoscopies starting at age 20 to 25 OR 10 years earlier than the first colorectal cancer diagnosis in their family, whichever comes first. The lifetime risk of colorectal cancer in someone with the Lynch gene is up to 80% in Manitoba. (Risk for those WITHOUT the Lynch gene is about 5%.) It is easy to see how important it is to be screened and to have regular colonoscopies.

Read more at https://wrha.mb.ca/files/lynch.pdf and https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics

http://www.cancercrossing.org/

 Cancer Crossing is privileged to have helped a young woman in Winnipeg with cancer. Not only was she advised not to work during treatment, she had no short term disability or long term disability available. She was waiting anxiously for EI sick benefits. She has no significant family support and is single. Imagine how desperate she had become! Luckily she reached out to Cancer Crossing and we were able to give her a financial boost to help bridge the gap. You too can help bridge the gap for others by donating at http://www.cancercrossing.org/

THANK YOU from a recipient

 We at Cancer Crossing are happy to know when we have made a difference in someone's life. Read what one recipient of financial assistance said:

"You have lessened my financial stress about travel expenses. Other cancer patients should reach out to Cancer Crossing if they need help. There are so many foundations that offer support and I am grateful."

You too can help make a difference in a cancer patient's life by donating to Cancer Crossing at http://www.cancercrossing.org/

Thompson resident receives aide for treatments in Winnipeg

 Cancer Crossing provided financial assistance to a man who had been diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. He had to stay in Winnipeg for radiation. Since his home is in Thompson, traveling back and forth for 3 weeks of treatment wasn't feasible. He is unable to work and awaiting a small EI benefit. We sent him best wishes along with a cheque to help pay his extra expenses. Your donations make a difference in someone else's life and are gratefully received at http://www.cancercrossing.org

Western Manitoba resident receives financial assistance

 Cancer Crossing is pleased to have assisted a woman living north of Neepawa. She needed help with the cost of a hotel room before and after her surgery for a follicular neoplasm. With a more than 250 km trip to Winnipeg, going home immediately after surgery wasn't an option. We are happy to have helped someone who would have fallen through the cracks. 

73 year old woman with lung cancer is helped with hotel costs while undergoing radiation

 When your budget is already tight and there is no room for unexpected extras a cancer diagnosis brings even more worries. How will you pay for travel to Winnipeg or Brandon for oncology appointments, tests and treatments? How will you pay for a hotel room if you need to stay for a few days? This is the situation a retired couple from western Manitoba found themselves in. A woman in her early 70s was diagnosed with lung cancer. Her husband is her caregiver and their budget had no room for these costs. Cancer Crossing stepped in to help with hotel fees while she underwent a few days of radiation, alleviating one worry from their lives.

Student in Winnipeg is helped with medical expenses

 A young woman who is an international student in Winnipeg contacted Cancer Crossing for financial help to assist during treatment for Stage 3 breast cancer. She received chemo and radiation was next but she is not eligible for any of the usual monetary programs and could not work as she is in Canada on a student permit. Not only that but she has 2 small children. Her husband's pay did not provide for the extra expenses. Imagine the stress on this young family. Cancer Crossing was pleased to provide some help and our best wishes.

Man with colon cancer receives help with travel expenses

 A 68 year old man asked Cancer Crossing for help with his expenses. He has colon cancer and lives in a small town in western Manitoba. Since he must travel to chemo, surgery and for tests his limited CPP and OAS payments can't keep up with all he has to pay. Cancer Crossing is pleased to be able to help bridge the gap. cancercrossing.org

 A gentleman from Winnipeg emailed Cancer Crossing for help paying his car insurance, so that he could go to medical appointments for his ongoing colon cancer treatments. He turned 65 and aged out of his work sick leave and is now on a reduced income from CPP and OAS. Fortunately his tumour has responded to treatments and he will be having surgery soon. Along with financial assistance from Cancer Crossing, we also wish him well as he continues his medical care.

Young woman from Winnipeg receives financial assistance

 Client 369

Not too long ago we at Cancer Crossing were told of a young woman from Winnipeg with cervical cancer. She was unable to work and receiving EI benefits which replaced only part of her income. With a 40% reduction in income and increased expenses for parking, for physical care for side effects of chemo, for cost of food delivery because she was too ill to cook, and even fees for a ride share to the ER, everything was adding up and causing considerable stress. Her husband is working but they faced a financial shortfall every month. Not only was she undergoing extensive treatments, she had a young family who were relying on her to be there for them. We are so glad that she reached out to Cancer Crossing and that we were able to give some financial assistance towards her expenses.

Widower receives assistance for travel expenses

Cancer Crossing is assisting a widower in his 60s. He was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer and has a nearly 200 km round trip drive to treatments in Winnipeg. He is on WCB benefits due to a work place injury. Those benefits will be ending soon and he will transfer to CPP. The financial burden of travel for cancer treatment is adding to his already diminished income on disability. Without a partner to be there for him, Cancer Crossing has come along side to provide some financial assistance in order to ease his worries.

Donate at cancercrossing.org

Cancer Crossing aids woman with endometrial cancer

 Client #365

Cancer Crossing learned of a woman in her 60s with endometrial cancer. She and her husband rely on CPP and OAS. Prior to her illness this woman also worked part time and now is unable to do so. Their finances were stretched. When we were contacted they had already driven 1500 kms from their rural home for various treatments and surgery. Costs were adding up. Cancer Crossing is able to help and are pleased to offer assistance so this couple can focus on health and healing.

Comment

Cancer Crossing assists elderly woman

 Client #364

Cancer Crossing is pleased to be able to help an elderly woman in western Manitoba with financial assistance. She has advanced cancer and must travel either to Winnipeg to to Brandon for treatment, a distance of 140 km and up to 250 km. Her income is modest and she has been relying on her son for monetary help. Unfortunately he was injured and cannot work for the moment and is not able to help his mother as he used to. They turned to Cancer Crossing for help. We were happy to provide assistance to ease their stress.

Cancer Crossing assists woman with Stage IV lung cancer

 Client #363

Cancer Crossing was recently informed of a woman with Stage IV lung cancer. Her treatments require a 5 hour round trip to Winnipeg. This was a financial burden as her husband was not working at the time and the added costs caused considerable stress. Cancer Crossing was able to assist with transportation costs and we are pleased to have been able to help this couple.

Comment

Cancer Crossing assists woman from the Interlake area of Manitoba

 Client #362

Cancer Crossing was informed of a woman from the Interlake area who would be traveling to Winnipeg 21 times for radiation treatment for breast cancer. She is separated from her husband and she has a low income and would need help to pay for transportation costs. Cancer Crossing is pleased to help ease the strain she is experiencing by providing financial help for gas and parking.

Comment