Cancer Cash

Applying for financial assistance is an emotional rollercoaster that one does not really need to be riding during a period of illness or treatment. I just finished with the liaison for OntarioWorks who helps people apply for ODSP, what a great lady! She came out to my house, went over my application and double checked that I was aware of (and accessing) all the resources available to me. At times like this I am pleased with the benefits and assistance available to Canadian’s and breathe a sigh of relief that things are going to be okay.

Two hours ago I was reading an article about a young woman in Windsor who was not eligible for EI or welfare when she became sick with ovarian cancer at 26. She had not put enough time into the workforce for EI, and her family (not her) had money in retirement funds, so “they” were not poor enough to be eligible for welfare. Read: http://www.thestar.com/comment/columnists/article/569272

I know all about this trap of having to moving home because you can’t get enough money from the Govt to support your household bills, yet once you move home not qualifying for enough funds to pay the remaining bills you have because of the household (or family) income they assume you have access too. My family can give me a roof, food and love… that’s it, that’s all.

Between this article and a blog I was reading last night about a 21 year old also not old enough to have contributed into these resources, I’m thanking good this didn’t happen to me at a younger age. I have enough problems trying to get ODSP. And then I get angry all over again. I have applied for so many programs, been rejected, been approved, been given misinformation, been given no information and in general done a lot of leg work for a chicky who’s supposed to be sick.

In the beginning I applied for EI and was told I couldn’t apply for CCP until EI was done and that I had too much savings to apply for ODSP. So I lived off of about ½ of what I needed from the Govt and subsidized the rest from my savings. EI ran out after 15 weeks, I called up and they said I should have applied for CPP in the beginning because it takes 2-3 months to be approved; I could have had both all along! So then I got CPP after EI (again about ½ of what I needed) until the end of my treatment/ now.

Now I have just found out this process will go on longer with more treatment, and I am out of savings – so CPP is not going to be enough anymore. I started the application for ODSP only to be told I could have applied for it when I had savings. Why did I have to deplete my own resources to the point of being at the Govt mercy to get help? If I had been getting what I was entitled to all along I would have been able to use my own funds towards little things I think are important to improve the basic living expenses they provide. Ie. They provide a Kraft dinner diet expense, I top it up to eat organic food and buy supplements. Now Ill have nothing to top up their allotments to cater to my specific needs.

So although I really liked this lady and felt she was helpful, well I felt that way about the people that gave me the mis-info before. You can only hope and trust the person you are assigned to is giving you the right info at the right time, and volunteering things you might not know to ask.

By the way, you hospital social worker won’t offer this up in the beginning (again waiting until your in dire straights and come calling) you don’t need to be paying parking fee’s, they have funds for that. Information I could have used 9 months and $500 in parking receipts ago!