Refuge from the storm: Residence a safe haven for sick Manitobans
When money is tight, patients are choosing between lifesaving treatment and the life they've built for themselves.
Lawrence Traa lived in a facility for 14 months where sick Manitobans were confronted with that conundrum.
"I've seen some situations where they ran out of money and they're doing a coin toss: do I finish my treatments or do I save my farm?"
Traa now volunteers for A Port in the Storm, affordable housing in Winnipeg for people from rural and northern communities in Manitoba and northwestern Ontario seeking medical treatment.
He's also a board member with the organization, a refuge during a turbulent time in patients' lives.
"For me, I had to stay and help."
He lived in the facility more than five years ago while undergoing treatment for brain cancer.
"As a patient, if this wasn't around, I think I would have to say no to the treatments because I couldn't afford a hotel," Traa told CBC Manitoba's Information Radio. "There's lots of people in that situation."
After he was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour, Traa had to walk four miles from his Lockport home for a ride into Winnipeg for treatment because he could no longer drive. It was not sustainable for him.
A Port in the Storm was recommended to him, and he's been trying to pay the facility back ever since.
He fixes furniture, helps with fundraising and makes thank-you calls to every person who donates to the organization, which survives without government funding.
A dying wish
A Port in the Storm is the realization of a dying woman's wish. A single mom from outside Winnipeg wanted a safe haven so rural Manitobans could feel at home in their time of need.
It opened in 2012 with 15 apartments in the west Exchange District. The facility is often at capacity so those who run it want to expand, Traa said.
Current and future patients were dealt another blow last week when Greyhound — the only public transportation lifeline in many rural communities — announced it would pull out of the province.
"It's hard to believe that here in Manitoba, for rural patients, there's not a process that will help them."
Traa was out of pocket $60,000 during his time in intensive medical treatment, due to his accommodations, mortgage back home and other miscellaneous expenses. It could have cost him even more without A Port in a Storm, he said.
He thinks the facility can serve as a lifeline to others.
"We're trying to help people in rural Manitoba get their medical treatments and in an environment that's a home away from home."
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