Patient stories
The lung transplant journey can be physically, emotionally and financially taxing. Here patients and caregivers share their stories.
George with his wife Barb | Clearwater, BC
"If we hadn't had our home or other finances, we probably wouldn’t have been able to go through with the lung transplant. When we first checked out temporary accommodation in Vancouver, we were looking at renting a place for $2,000-$3,000/month. Luckily when my sister heard, she offered us a room in her New Westminster home not too far from the hospital. Having a place to stay made all the difference in the world." Read more |
Ray with his wife Cindy |
"A few days after Ray's surgery, he had to go back into the ICU to be re-intubated. It was a very scary time. He was fighting pneumonia and there was the possibility that his diaphragm was paralyzed. While we had family we could stay with in Langley, I felt I needed to be closer to the hospital for my own sanity. I was beginning not to remember how I drove home each night. I started looking for accommodation nearer the hospital." Read more |
Mike with wife Glenda | Nanaimo
"The hardest part was keeping our mortgage and household bills paid while also paying to live in Vancouver. My wife would go home to check on things once every week or two. Paying for all the ferry rides back and forth. was expensive. We had never been away from our pets for any length of time. It was heartbreaking to be away from them, but thankfully our youngest daughter was able to look after our dogs." Read more |
Jerry and wife Wendy | Penticton
"We knew temporary accommodation would be costly. Luckily, we had saved money when I got sick by not taking any vacations. It was our plan to live at the Easter Seal House in Vancouver which is comparatively inexpensive, but when 'the call' came it was closed due to COVID. Thankfully a good friend found us an apartment literally across from the hospital. It cost $1,000 more per month than we hoped but the convenience was worth every penny." Read more |
Marc and wife Valerie | Whitehorse
“Once you get 'the call' your caregiver begins a mad hunt for a place to stay. Leaving everything behind is stressful. Fortunately we arranged for friends to look after things at home. As we didn't have transportation while in Vancouver, finding grocery stores and other necessities had its challenges. Valerie bought a used bicyle and a shopping tote. That helped! Overall we ended up spending about $15,000 for our stay in Vancouver." Read more |
Madeline | Coldstream
"Temporary housing in Vancouver could have been a major problem, but luckily I had a friend living not too far from the hospital in Richmond who agreed to be my caregiver and let me stay with her. I gave her $500 a month rent, bought all the food and paid for all the gas and hospital parking. All in all, being in Vancouver cost me close to $9,000. I was incredibly lucky to have my friend. She basically gave up her freedom and privacy for me for three months.” Read more |
Darren and son | Nanaimo
"In terms of paying for temporary housing and living costs while in Vancouver, my only sources of income was the Canada Pension Plan-Long Term Disability along with a private disability pension through my previous employment. I didn't qualify for social assistance because I made $100 more than welfare rates. Thankfully, my social worker stepped up big time. It was only with the threat of having the media involved that Social Services finally approved my housing funding." Read more |
Harry with wife Elaine | Comox Valley
"My wife Elaine is a cancer survivor, so she knew of the Jean C. Barber Lodge, which is a cancer housing facility for patients needing room and board. We were able to become a resident there during my recovery. Fortunately, the cost was very livable, and the Free Masons provided transportation by donation. There was even a parking facility near the Lodge where we parked for approximately $100 a month. For just under three months it cost approximately $11,000." Read more |
Ken | 150 Mile House
"My initial thought was how can we possibly afford to set up temporary house in Vancouver? There wasn’t much we could put in place prior to 'the call.' We did some research but rental costs were between $2,600 and $3,000 per month - way out of our budget! As it turned out, just before I was released from hospital we secured a place through my partner’s brother. Luckily for us friends took care of our home and animals back home, so there was no worry there." Read more |
Friedrich with wife Doreen | Williams Lake
"Being on a pension with only my wife working made the decision to go ahead with the transplant a hard one. Doreen had to leave her job to care for me and this lowered our monthly income. She was not eligible for unemployment insurance and we worried about our home being looked after. We also wanted to ensure a will was in place should things not work in my favour. In the end, we were in Vancouver for five months post-transplant which cost between$18,000-$20,000." Read more |
Ray with wife Cathie | Salmon Arm
"We saved for two years and thankfully a number of service clubs in Salmon Arm came to our aid. Without their help - and that of family and friends - we would not have had enough to through with my transplant. Overall the cost of spending four months in Vancouver, including monthly rent, food, travel, gas and medication, came close to $35,000. I got some money back on my income tax, but not a lot as I was unable to work before my transplant and my income was very low." Read more |
Wade | Nanaimo
"Knowing I needed a lung transplant was overwhelming. It was tough to be away from home and also have to deal with a huge financial burden. But my community really supported me. If you want help, you need to ask for it." Read more |