Manitoba, Saskatchewan work out deal that gives dialysis patient treatment close to home
CBC
Maureen McBratney can't wait to embrace her five-year-old grandson.
Last year McBratney nearly died from extreme kidney failure, but doctors and nurses were able to save her life. Now she needs life-saving dialysis treatment every other day.
McBratney's home is in Denare, Sask., about 20 minutes away from Flin Flon , Man.
There's a dialysis clinic in Flin Flon, but or the last eight months McBratney has had to stay in Saskatoon — a 600-kilometre drive from her home — to get dialysis, because there was no agreement between provinces in place that would allow her to get treatment in Manitoba.
"We've had really good places to stay and made some really good friends, but nothing is really like being at home," said McBratney, choking while talking about what she has missed not being at home.
"I missed [my grandson's] first day of kindergarten, the first Halloween parade. Just those things that you you don't get to do."
The McBratney family and supporters have been pushing health authorities and MLAs to find a way to make dialysis in Flin Flon a possibility. Now that work has paid off.
The provinces have worked out a deal that gives Saskatchewan residents access to the dialysis unit in Flin Flon. McBratney and her husband, Greg, can finally go home.
In a statement to CBC, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health said the two provinces are working collaboratively with each other to increase access to their respective kidney health and renal programs.
"Through this collaboration, Manitoba Health has agreed to provide access to renal dialysis spots in Flin Flon for two Saskatchewan patients," said a statement emailed to CBC from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health. "It is anticipated this will minimize the burden of travel for these patients and their families, and provide care closer to home."
A spokesperson for Manitoba's Northern Health Region said finding dialysis seats at Flin Flon General Hospital for Saskatchewan patients has been a goal in the past year.
"Expansion needs were recognized after local population, patients, and elected officials in the area of Flin Flon brought this critical patient care initiative forward."
McBratney said it was very emotional to know she and her husband would be able to return home.
"I think we both cried for about 15 or 20 minutes," she said. "Then it was, 'now we have to phone our kids.' We phoned [their daughter] Paige, told her the good news on video call, and she immediately started to cry."
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