Maureen McBratney can’t wait to hug her 5-year-old grandson.
Last year, McBratney nearly died from severe kidney failure, but doctors and nurses were able to save her life. She currently requires life-saving dialysis treatment every other day.
McBratney’s home is in Denare, Sassus, about 20 minutes from Flin Flon, Man.
Although there is a dialysis clinic in Flin Flon, McBratney has had to drive more than 500 kilometers from her home in Saskatoon for the past eight months to receive dialysis. That’s because there was no interstate agreement that allowed it. To receive treatment in Manitoba.
“I had a really good place to stay and made some really good friends, but being home is the most fun,” McBratney said, her voice breaking as she talked about how lonely she felt being away from home.
“I missed it [my grandson’s] First day of kindergarten, first Halloween parade. There are just things you shouldn’t do. ”
The McBratney family and supporters have been lobbying health authorities and MLAs to find a way to make dialysis available in Flin Flon. Now that effort has paid off.
The provinces have finalized an agreement to give Saskatchewan residents access to Flin Flon’s dialysis units. McBratney and her husband Greg are finally able to return home.
Maureen McBratney of Denare Beach, South Carolina, cried when she learned she could cross the border to Flin Flon, Man., for dialysis. For eight months, she has been undergoing dialysis in Saskatoon, more than 500 kilometers from her home.
The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health said in a statement to CBC that both provinces are working together to increase access to their respective kidney health and kidney programs.
“Through this collaboration, the Manitoba Health Authority has agreed to provide two Saskatchewan patients with access to a kidney dialysis spot in Flin Flon,” said a statement emailed to CBC from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health. It is stated that. “This is expected to minimize the travel burden for these patients and their families and provide care closer to home.”
A spokesperson for the Northern Manitoba Health Region said it has been a goal for the past year to find dialysis seats at Flin Flon General Hospital for Saskatchewan patients.
“The need for expansion was recognized as local residents, patients, and elected officials in the Flin Flon region championed this important patient care initiative,” the spokesperson said.
McBratney said she was emotional knowing she would be able to go home with her husband.
“I think we both cried for about 15 or 20 minutes,” she said. “That’s when I said, ‘Now I have to call my kids.’ We called. [their daughter] When Paige told her the good news on a video call, she immediately started crying. ”
Ms McBratney said her grandson came to ask why his mother was crying and her mother told him the good news.
“Then he had to start singing and dancing, which made my day.”
Ms McBratney said she was frustrated by the lack of treatment she received in Flin Flon.
“i got you [it] Very strange to say the least, since that’s my primary care doctor’s office. There you will undergo a blood test. We will take an X-ray there. All treatments except dialysis can be received there. ”
They started a letter-writing campaign with the help of their daughter Paige while their son took care of the house.
“It was really a combined effort. My daughter Paige is a great letter writer and she got every name she could think of on both sides of the border and sent letters to every minister. Every single thing she could think of. I sent a letter to the person who said, ‘I’m in,”’ McBratney said.
Erin Shimp, Saskatchewan Health Authority’s director of kidney health in Saskatoon (northern), said she defended her, as did other medical professionals and politicians.
“It’s a small world,” McBratney said. “I knew [Schimpf] when she was a young teenager. I was the leader of her Girl Guides in Flin Flon. And she took up the fight herself. ”
In the end, it was Simp who gave McBratney the good news.
“There were a lot of pieces to make everything fall into place perfectly,” McBratney said. “And it finally happened.”
