'I can't afford to go': Sask. dialysis patient says rising fuel has him feeling a financial pinch
Three times a week Erick Zabos drives from his home near Gronlid to Tisdale Hospital for his dialysis treatment. Since gas rose in price in March he estimates he’s spending an extra $50 a week.
“As the price of fuel keeps going up, I'm struggling to find ways to get there,” said Erick Zabos.
Zabos has done the 125 kilometres round trip for three years.
Adding to his struggles is the price of his renal diet – which emphasizes the importance of consuming high-quality protein and usually limiting fluids. It's something Zabos says has been impacted by inflation.
“I can't afford to miss dialysis. I'm getting to the point where I can't afford to go,” said Zabos.
According to the executive director of the Saskatchewan branch of the Kidney Foundation of Canada, this is an issue many people face in the province.
“Traveling to get to in-center hemodialysis treatments is a challenge in Saskatchewan and everywhere in the country,” said Joyce Van Deurzen.
“It's a common problem in the province and certainly across the country. As we can imagine in a country like Canada, with all the geographic reasons we've got and that dispersed population in some of the more remote areas, it's very, very challenging.”
The treatments themselves take four to five hours. According to Van Deurzen hundreds of people need dialysis in the province.
“It's one of the biggest burdens and complications of getting treatment for kidney disease,” said Van Deurzen.
As transportation is a challenge many people face in the province, the Kidney Foundation wants to see as much support provided to patients as possible.
“The more that we can do to help people, government assistance, looking at what the possibilities might be, and community assistance. The community has to come together to really support people,” said Van Deurzen.
Support can’t come soon enough for Zabos, since fuel is set to increase on April 1st due to a rise in the carbon tax, according to Dan McTeague, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy.
“It's hard to enjoy life on a machine, let alone worry about where you're going to get your next tank full of fuel.”
The Ministry of Social Services said when a patient needs dialysis they first consider home-based treatment.
“If home-based treatment is not an appropriate option, treatment would occur in a closer-to-home satellite hospital,” a statement emailed to CTV News said.
They suggested the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability and Saskatchewan Income Support programs may provide travel benefits for individuals.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Bayer recalls hydraSense baby product over 'potential contamination'
Bayer announced Thursday it is recalling two lots of its hydraSense Baby Nasal Care Easydose due to a potential contamination.
N.L. gardening store revives 19th century seed-packing machine
Technology from the 19th century has been brought out of retirement at a Newfoundland gardening store, as staff look for all the help they can get to fill orders during a busy season.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.