Tammy O’Brien was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor in June of 2024. As her condition worsened, she was forced to seek Gamma Knife radiosurgery in Edmonton, a highly precise, life-saving treatment that is not available in Saskatchewan.
Before her treatment, O’Brien contacted Minister Jeremy Cockrill’s office to request financial support for travel and accommodation costs. She was told the province only covers the medical procedure itself. Instead, Ministry staff provided her with a list of charities she could reach out to and suggested she ‘try crowdsourcing’ to cover her expenses.
“I was shocked by the suggestion and felt dismissed and degraded,” said O’Brien.
“I’m a healthcare worker, but I’m on disability and unable to work. I’m already stretched beyond my limits. I needed this treatment to save my life and had no choice but to leave the province to receive it.”
The Ministry reimburses up to $1,500 in travel expenses for women going out of province for mammograms, and $2,000 for pediatric care.
“This is where we’re at after 18 years of the Sask. Party. People with brain tumors are being told to start Go-Fund-Me campaigns,” said Keith Jorgenson, Saskatchewan NDP Associate Shadow Minister for Health.
“This government has driven our healthcare system to dead last in Canada, forcing more and more people to travel out of province for care that used to be available here.”
Following her treatment in early December, O’Brien submitted her expenses to the Health Minister’s office and requested an exception to their policy due to the rarity of her condition.
“The Minister’s assistant told me it’s not just brain tumors,” said O’Brien. “They said you’d be surprised how many people have to travel out of province for medical treatment.”
“The emotional and physical toll of a serious condition like a brain tumor is enough – massive bills shouldn’t be piled on top of that,” said Darcy Warrington, O’Brien’s MLA in Saskatoon Stonebridge. “My constituent deserves a meeting and an apology for Moe’s Minister, and deserves to be made whole.”
“It feels like we no longer have universal healthcare in this province and that the quality of care we get depends on our financial status,” added O’Brien.
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