Providing Accommodation Access to Healthcare For Every Canadian : StayWell Suites Charity

Imagine being forced to choose between life-saving medical care and the financial burden of relocatingtoTorontotoaccessit.Thisistherealityformanypatients,alongsidetheircaregivers and family who must travel far from home to receive critical treatment. The added challenge of securing safe, affordable housing in an unfamiliar city often makes an already difficult journey evenharder.Thisfinancialburdenmayforcepatientstoeitherdelayorforgonecessarymedical care.

ThisiswhereStayWellSuitesCharitystepsin.

StayWell provides affordable accommodations to Canadians who must relocate for medical treatment. Through partnerships with major hotel chains and professional furnished apartment providers we offer subsidized patient rates, alleviating the financial burden and ensuring patients can stay close to hospitals, alongside their caregivers and family, while receiving treatment

The inspiration for StayWell Suites Charity came from the personal experience of Tina Proulx, a patient from Ottawa, who faced a similar challenge in 2015. Diagnosed with a rare, lifethreateningdisease,TinaneededadoublelungtransplantatTorontoGeneralHospital,over400 kilometers from her home in Ottawa. In Toronto, the areas surrounding the hospitals are amongst the most expensive in the city. Tina and her husband Joel decided to make the move and had to take leaves of absence from work – they found themselves living in one of the most expensivecitiesinthecountrywithoutanyincome.

Matt Regush, a partner at Sky View Suites, learned of Tina's relocation challenges in the fall of 2015, when her family inquired about furnished accommodations and instantly provided them with a fully furnished unit at a reduced cost. This encounter led to the creation of StayWell Suites Charity. “If you cannot afford to live in Toronto and you’re making the choice not to accept treatment, then you are basically making the choice to die” says Tina, reflecting on her experience In December 2015, Tina received her transplant and made a full recovery, inspiring StayWell’smissiontohelpotherpatientsfacingthesamechallenges

From our start in 2018, providing three patients of the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, including their families and caregivers, with 135 nights, we have grown significantly. By the end of 2024, we will have supported over 5,500 patients with over 90,000 room nights across all major hospitals in Toronto. Patient stays range from a few days to over a year. Earlier this year, we concluded an agreement with the SickKids Foundation to provide $250,000 in accommodationsupportoverthenextfiveyears.

Providing Accommodation Access to Healthcare For Every Canadian : StayWell Suites Charity cont'd

From our start in 2018, providing three patients of the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, including their families and caregivers, with 135 nights, we have grown significantly. By the end of 2024, we will have supported over 5,500 patients with over 90,000 room nights across all major hospitals in Toronto. Patient stays range from a few days to over a year. Earlier this year, we concluded an agreement with the SickKids Foundation to provide $250,000 in accommodation support over the next five years.

Looking ahead, StayWell will expand to other cities across Canada in 2025, continuing to rely on the support of dono s and partners to fill the gap between accommodation costs and what patients can afford. StayWell Suites Charity is committed to providing safe, affordable accommodations to patients, along with their caregivers and family, during their medical journey. Your support can make a life-changing difference for families like Tina’s, ensuring that no patient has to choose between their health and affordable accommodations.

Patients/caregivers can go to our website staywell.ca and select the Book Now link