Imagine being forced to choose between life-saving medical care and the financial burden of relocating to Toronto to access it. This is the reality for many patients, alongside their caregivers 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 even harder. This financial burden may force patients to either delay or forgo necessary medical care. This is where StayWell Suites Charity steps in.
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, life-threatening disease, Tina needed a double lung transplant at Toronto General Hospital, over 400 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 expensive cities in the country without any income.
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’s mission to help other patients facing the same challenges.
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 donors 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.
