Supported
by Social Development
and Poverty Reduction
maybe FNHA
maybe transplant suites through
non-profits
Everyone Else
Can Afford Cost
Our Out-of-Pocket Cost Study for Transplant Patients spotlights those who fall through the gap when it comes to funding, struggling to access care in Vancouver.
Research
LOANS
CREDIT CARD DEBT
GOFUNDMES
FORGO TREATMENT
​​​Relocation for Solid Organ Transplant: Patient Experience and Cost Study
​
In 2024, the UBC Centre for Rural Health Research performed an out-of-pocket cost study led by Dr. Jude Kornelsen alongside the HiH Community Advisory Committee to understand the expenses associated with relocating to Vancouver for an organ transplant including pre and post treatment care and the parallel stresses of finding a place to stay. ​
Final Report:
Relocation for
Solid Organ Transplant
Policy Brief
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Executive Summary
Recommendations:
Excerpts:
$6,000 a month for three and a half months just to live there, you know… that would’ve wiped me out. You know, I would’ve been, “Okay, what’s going to happen? I’m going to live, but how am I going to live post-transplant …?” I have a house, you know? There’s things… that [have] got to be done.
...it's not like we're tourists. We're there fighting for our lives. So why are you changing your rate? Because they can, because they know they've got us in a position where we're between a rock and a hard place.
I understand that you think that's a deal, but how would you feel if you were paying $150 a night for 30 days? Like that's $7,000. Do you think that anyone can actually afford that?
...but it was over $4,000 a month, and we couldn't have done that, not on top of maintaining this place and having to the extra expenses of eating there”. Another facetiously noted that “We wouldn't have been able to do it if I if we had to put out, I would have to be robbing banks for months beforehand.
Testimonials:
Asmaa Anwar
Victoria, BC
"At one point I told a social worker to give the new heart to someone else because I could not afford the stay in Vancouver."
Carrie Hicks
Interior of BC
"We knew we could commit as we had enough credit on our cards to pay for what we would need while down in Vancouver, it was the only way we could do it."
David Thompson
Victoria, BC
“Without accommodation at Honor House, I would not be alive today. It would have been impossible to maintain our home here in Victoria and our stays in Vancouver.”
Tawnee Brunet
Kelowna, BC
"On top of all of it you have likely had to leave your job, your expenses have increased because you need more meds and you no longer have coverage and just to put the cherry on top, you have been told you need to raise at least $20,000 to get on the transplant list. And the panic attacks kick in."
Linda Morris
Westbank, BC
"It was more than $23,000.00.
I’m disappointed that just because we don’t live in the Lower Mainland our cost for life saving procedures isn’t on the same playing field."