Shane Wambolt Documents

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08/09/2611 23:23 7807433953 lo . J A N B O L T S PAGE 01/02

Out-of-Country Health ServicesAppeal Panel

1 00 25 J asp er A ve nu e NW IPO B ox 1360 Sm M ain I Edm onton A BI T5J 2N 3 Phone 780-638-38991 F ax 780-422-1958. Personal Health Number: _August 5, 2011

Shane WamboltFort McMurray AB Dear Mr. Wambolt:Re: Out-of-Country Health Services Appeal Panel Decision for Shane WamboltOn,July 22,2011, the Out-of-Country Health Services Appeal Panel (Appeal Panel) metto hearShane Wambolt's appeal of the Out-of-Country Health Services (OOCHS) Committee'sMay 12. 2011 decision regarding reimbursement for 1) assessments provided at the ClevelandClinic Foundation, Ohio between August 23,2010 and September 27,2010 and 2) minimally.invasive endoscopic surgery regarding a pineal gland cyst provided at the LA Skull BaseInstitute in Los Angeles., California on November 30. 2010.The authority of the Appeal Panel is established in the Out-or-Country Health ServicesRegulation, Alta.Regulaltion 78/2006, According to section 11(5) of the Regula1ion, a quorum ofthe Appeal Panel consists of 3 members, 2 of whom must be physicians. and one of whom mustbe either the ethicist or the member of the general public, The Appeal Panel members presentat the July 22, 2011 hearing were Dr. Ruth Collins-Nakai (Chair). Dr. Rose Marie oeonzcn,Dr. Alexander Paterson, Dr. Peter Hamilton, Mr. Thaine Olsen (Ethicist), Ms. Donna $paner(member of the public), and Mr. Blair Maxston (non-voting independent legal counsel for theAppeal Panel) .. No conflict of interest was declared by any Appeal Panel member,In addressing your appeal, the Appeal Panel considered the information that was available tothe OOCHS Committee at the time of its decision, the Committee's reasons for that decision,and your letter of appeal. Following careful consideration, I reg~et to inform you that it is theAppeal Panel's decision to Uphold the decision of the Out-of-Country Health ServicesCommittee. . .The conclusion the Appeal Panel has reached is based on the following reasons. The AppealPanel upholds the OOCHS Committee reason that the requested services were elective andprior approval should have been obtained before treatment. Section 2(2) of the Out -ot -CountryHealth Services Regulation indicates that(2) An application may only be made under subsection (1) with respect to . .(a) elective services, if the application is made prior to receiving the services, or(b) insured services or insured hospital services that are not elective 'services, if theapplication is.made .

(i ) prior to receiving the services, or(ii) not later than 365 days after the services were received.. .. /2


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Shane. WamboltPage TwoIn your case, the services were elective, and the application was submitted and deemed madeby the OOCHS Committee after treatment was received. The Appeal Panel is did not findsupporting evidence in the medical documentation to indicate that urgent care was requiredfrom a medical viewpoint. The Appeal Panel found that the expertise to treat your 'medicalcondition was available in Canada and at least further surgical opinions within Canada shouldhave been obtained prior to obtaining out-of-country services. It was your choice to obtainservices outside the country. As such, the Appeal Panel cannot approve your request.On the basis of the services requested being elective, and therefore the application must bemade prior to receiving the services, the Appeal Panel agreed to uphold the OOCHSCommittee's decision not to approve funding for 1) assessments provided at the ClevelandClinic Foundation, Ohio between August 23, 2010 and September 27, 2010 and 2) minimallyinvasive endoscopic surgery -regarding a Pineal Glaiid cyst provided at the LA Skull BaseInstitute in Los Angeles, Oalifornia on November 30, 2010.. The Appeal Panel sympathizes withyour situation,but regrets that it cannot make a decision more favorable to you.The Out-of-Country Health Services Regulation is accessible online from the Alberta Queen'sPrinter at www.qp.alberta.ca. .

Yours truly,: 'l ,. r \ ,/.~.Jft.. ~....A .. -~~~,,,,;,.,.,.~

,I.

Dr. Ruth Collins-Nakai, M.D.Chair, Out of Country Health Services Appeal Panelcc: Honourable Gene ZwozdeskyMinister, Health and Wellness


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This is a letter regarding our devastating fight with the Alberta govermentregarding our son Shane Wambolt that required medical help in the united stateswhich could not be done here in canada.We are the parents of shane so wewould like you to please read our letter and awaiting your reply.My e-mail address is:Phone number:

CC. Prime Minister of Canada- Stephen HarperAlberta Premier-Ed StelmachAlberta Health Minister- Honorable Gene ZwozdeskyAlberta- Guy Boutilier MLA, Fort McMurray-Wood BuffaloNova Scotia Premier- Darren DexterNova Scotia Health Minister-Honorable Maureen MacDonaldNova Scotia- Sid Prest MLA,Eastern ShoreNova Scotia- Honourable Keith Colwell,ECNS,MLA, Preston


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Date: June 12/2011I'ts with great stress, unbelief and devastation that we have to write this letter.Our names are Phillip and Carol Wambolt and we live in a little community calledGrand Desert in the province of Nova Scotia. We are the parents of a 26 yearold man Shane Wambolt who is now living in Fort McMurray, Alberta and did livein Grand Desert until moving out west a few years ago.Our son Shane was diagnosed with a cystic tumor on the pineal gland which isnot recognized in Canada as causing any problems and no surgery is availableto remove it. He was ~ecoming incapable of looking after himself and with hisfiance due to have a baby my husband had to leave and go out with Shane tohelp them. Shane at this time was still working but for safety reasons he wastaken from site where his original job was and put in the office .Due to hisfinances he couldn't leave work so he struggled everyday to go. He was unableto drive so his father or fiance would drive him.He was becoming sicker as the days went on.Come the end of June hisfather was taking him to work and as he was holding the pail and vomiting hesaid" dad I can't do this any longer, I rather die." He went to the office andtold them he couldn't do it any longer, their reply was we don't know how youdid it this long. They didn't want to force him out knowing his severesymptons because of his finances. My faith is very strong so I had manyparishioners in many churches praying for Shane. If you could only experiencethe overwhelming,weakening and shock your body goes into as you sit with allthe congregation and pray for your child and then you will know what we wentthrough and we are still praying for your help. Shane wanted me to go out toalberta but financially we couldn't afford it, but a dear friend paid for my trip tosee him so we could get his affairs in order including his will.!t was quite anemotional time because I hadn't seen my son for 11/2 years plus my newgrandson.1 only stayed a short time because my daughter was back homeand my mother was very sick.My husband stayed with shane and his familyto keep on helping them while I had to make the heart throbbing journeyback to nova scotia by myself.After exhausting all avenues with health care in Canada and coming upaganist a brick wall his only choice was to make a trip to Ohio to ruleout any diseases that would have similiar symptons.After a month andall final reports showed he was cleared from any diseases except forthe tumor. He was devasted they could not remove the tumor, he camehome to die.After the horrifying news, Shane wanted me to come out and financiallywe couldn't afford it. I't was quite an emotional time,equally emotionallywas the news that we discovered a surgeon in Los Angeles whospecializes in tumors on the pineal gland .Of course immediately wehad to pursue that avenue because Shane was failing fast.


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He made an application for funding and submitted all medical documentation toprove that they ruled out any other disease. Due to research we know that ifShane would of waited he would of suffered brain damage due to lack of fluidsflowing through the br~in. I tried calling the out of province health care explainingto them his condition because he felt threatened by you people. One particularItime was when his fia~ce called me and said the out of province people calledand said "if Shane went down they would refuse his application", he was due forhis surgery soon. That day was horrifying, as I picked up the phone and heardthe panic and crying from his fiance saying "I have to take Shane to the doctor,he can't see and can't stop vomiting and becoming very weak, the pressure is sobad it feels like the top of his head is going to explode."He knew we didn't havethe money and we needed funding to pay for the cost of the surgery so I told herI would call the out of province health care in which I did.With my body shakingand tears flowing and pleading for help the only response I got was your son is25 and he will have to call himself. It felt like we were being tormented for tryingto save our son.The suffering that my son was going through was felt by all wholoved him.We had to refinance our home because the surgeon agreed to take Shane'scase and remove the tumor. Our house finances wasn't enough. Shane tried toget the Alberta government to pay because this surgery was unable to beperformed in Canada. We have had videos done pleading for help and askingfor donations in any amount stating "EVERY DOLLAR HELPS".we havepounded the streets,knocked on doors, made phone calls begging and pleadingfor help but cannot come up with the money. When people gave us a donationno matter in what amout $5.00 OR $20.00 A few more tears are sheddedthanking them for helping us through our most difficult time in life.Prior to surgery I would plead to God to transfer the tumor to my head. Iwas becoming frightful to whether he was going to make it or not. Wedidn't have the money so the hospital and doctor down in Los Angeles.agreed to bill us because they knew how sick Shane was. The paymentsare $5000.00 a month which we do not have.

IWe were so financially strapped and I was so depressed I was not goingto go down while Shane had surgery but a week or so before he called meand asked me if I would go because he needed me. I was so happy thatI went because as he held my hand before they took him from us he said"don't worry mom this is my only chance at life and I know everything will be fine,I have an angel looking over me." I have always told him from the time hewas born that he had an angel. A few days after surgery he whispered in myear "Auntie Kye was my angel. At that time I knew he was going to be fine.The extreme pressure on my husband and I has taken a toll on usmentally and physically. We are going to theraphy and with medicationI am surviving. My husband has been disabled for many years and isunable to work, this strain has also caused him to have his medicationincreased. We live off of a very low income.Due to this financial burden


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we have to go looking for a place to live because We will be losing ourhome. The one thing that keeps me going is what my therapist has said"you have given your spn two life's be very proud".Shane is aware of our situation and it is very troubling for him to seewhat we have been going through. If it was one of your children youwould understand how devasting this is.There are times I go down to the beach which is in walking distance frommy house trying to figure out if this situation is real. As I sit on a rockoverlooking the ocean for many miles out to sea wondering how canthis happen in Canada. When you listen to the news there are cases ofsick people from other countries whom our government doesn't hesitateto help. Canada helps with devastation all over the world. I keepasking myself, I wonder why my son's life wasn't worth while saving?We know that a young Iboy from Airdrie, Alberta suffered many years withmany of the symptons and he was left to slowly die, but thanks to thesame surgeon that did Shane's surgery and the hospital in the statesthey waived all fees to save his life. After the fact, the out of provincedoctors realized what a horrifying thing they did and his surgery wascovered. It was also stated "they would never let this happen again"We knew about the long term effects that Dylan Nielsen suffers every-day from being ignored by the medical system .Through Dylan'smom's advised we knew we couldn't hold off because Shane would ofstill been waiting and would of never been approved and may of notbeen here to fight. Also I don't think it is fair how they can chooseto pay Dylan's surgery land not Shane's. He has a right to live also.The surgery was a success. He is getting stronger everyday and willbeable to go back to work before the end of the year. The many thingsthat people take for granted remains a blessing for him. For instancesbeing able to wake up in the morning by himself. For months he couldnot wake up on his own, his father and fiance would have to sit himup on the edge of the bed and get a pill in him to keep awake, thetumor caused narcolepsy because the pineal gland is responsiblefor the sleep part of your brain. Then when they got him awake he wouldvomit for hours. As you seen in the pictures of the operation that thetumor was big (1.3)cm and still growing and all the webbing around it.How do you think the fluid could flow? The pressure was so bad in hishead it would send his body into tremors. Also putting his body intoa seizure which he would completely lose vision and go paralizedon the right side. Everyday he suffered severe depression. Thelight was becoming unbearable. Now being able to live a normallife, playing with his son, getting out walking and bascially enjoyinglife again is a miracle for him because he did not give up and won'tgive presuing the financial help that he deserves and neither will we.


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God bless everyone that supported Shane and us through this gutwrenching experience We would of never made it this far without them.All his co-workers that has finacially and mentally supported him andstill to this day they are.They had seen him on his worse days and knowhow sick he was becoming.In closing I am pleading and begging for our family to be cleared fromthis debt hanging over our heads.At this we have lost everything butour son, which is the most important thing. We have lost all are dignityand will soon be living in poverty if we lose our home. We are bothmentally and physically collapsing from the trauma that the governmenthas caused by the rejections in the pass year.As my husband and I writethis letter living over many memories of this horrifying medical devastationa knock comes on the door (June 6,2011) it was a,gentleman that we knowquite well from our community.He presentedus with a cheque of $250.00from the community center to help with groceries this month and as we huggedhe whispered "don't cry or you will have me crying" I can't at this point evengo in our local grocery store anymore without breaking into tears if anyoneasks about our situation with the government. We are ready to go to anymedia station who will air our story or newspaper that will print it to begfor donations or help in anyway if you won't help us.Sincerely,Phil & Carol Wambolt.

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IFort McMurray-Wood ~ f , _ f _ a _ lo _ ' _From:Sent:To:Subject:Attach ments:

Guy BoutilierWednesday, August 10, 2011 2:41 PM'[email protected]'Fw: From MLA Guyswambolt.pdf

Hi Gene, hope u and Christine having great summer. Our 3 year old Marc is keeping us busy.My constituent Shane Wambolt( 26 years old ,father of 18mth old son) who had a rare tumour/cyst visited his FtMcMurray Dr I. Akinjise (, who said he could die If not removed as soon as possible( letter attached) He lost partial sighcouldn't work as it grew. No where in Canada is this type of surgery done. So on his Dr.'s advice flew to Los Angeles andhad the surgery. It saved his life. The "Out of Country" bureacracy could not act quickly enough. Thus the young man afamily and his parents had to use their Homes as calateral, and now could lose their homes, the bill $260000 !This waall front page in Nov. when he got successful surgery. Of course the hope was AHS would reimburse as Out -of -Countryprocedure. He had learned about this as a lady in Airdrie had same rare disease, U may recall helping Rob Andersonsconstituent. Exact same situation except your Appeals Panel said NO to Mr.Wambolt ... ! Bureaucratic reasons that onlyyou as Minister can overrule. Gene this young family were scared to death, now are going to lose their home. This iswrong. He went by his Dr's advice. Guy Boutilier MLA

From: Fort McMurray-Wood BuffaloSent: Wednesday, August 10,201102:21PMTo: Guy BoutilierSubject: From MLA Guy

r rJ aug lin f e ssomeConstituency ManagerGuy Boutilier, MLAFort McMurray-Wood BuffaloTel: (780) 790-6014Fax: (780) 791-3683

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Shane Wambolt Documents

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