2024

It was in 2018 when my wife Carol and I first heard about Wesway. Carol is a post-stroke survivor, who most recently suffered another stroke in October 2023. As a result of her health issues, she has reduced mobility and cognitive functioning and now relies heavily on me for support with her daily living tasks.

Our lives have changed in ways we could never have anticipated. The truth is, you never foresee needing such help until you do. Despite reading about Wesway and hearing about their services, we didn’t truly appreciate their impact until we experienced it firsthand. Initially, it was hard for us to ask for help but without Wesway, we truly don’t know what we would do. Their services are that critical.

Funding through Wesway’s Family-Directed Respite model allows us to hire respite providers of our choice which gives me the much-needed “brain-break” I need. It’s reassuring to know that I can take a walk in the bush or go hunting while knowing that Carol is safe and in good hands.

When our daughter was married in Edmonton on August 5, 2023, we feared Carol wouldn’t be able to attend. Thankfully, we were able to hire a direct respite provider to travel with us, making it possible for us to share in one of the happiest moments of our lives.

This past May our daughter, who lives in Sault Ste. Marie, gave birth to twins. I was able to go there to care for our two grandchildren while she was in the hospital and support her with the transition of bringing two new babies home. This would not have been possible without short-term crisis funding from Wesway which allowed us to hire a respite provider to stay with Carol in my absence.

We are grateful to Wesway for giving caregivers the breaks they desperately need – not just physically, but mentally.

Wesway’s services are invaluable.