Help Dione Get Lifesaving Surgery & Safely Home from Japan

Hi, my name is Belinda, and I’m writing this with a heavy heart and trembling hands.

My best friend Dione — my sister in spirit for over 50 years — is lying in a hospital bed in Japan, fighting for her life. What was supposed to be a joyful vacation with her 18-year-old son has turned into an unimaginable nightmare.

Dione suddenly became very ill and was rushed by ambulance to a hospital, where doctors diagnosed her with a perforated intestine — a condition that, if not treated quickly, can be fatal. She’s now awaiting emergency surgery in a foreign country where she doesn’t speak the language, with her son — just a young man — by her side, trying to stay strong.

The ambulance alone cost $4,000 CAD. The hospital is charging $4,000 a day, and the surgery is expected to cost $25,000. We don’t know yet how much insurance will cover — if anything at all. What we do know is this: the clock is ticking, and Dione needs help.

Dione Would Never Ask — So I'm Asking for Her

Dione has spent her entire life giving to others. She has worked for decades as a teacher’s aide, caring for children with severe disabilities. She’s the kind of person who shows up when no one else does — the kind who makes the world better simply by being in it.

She would never ask for help. But I am. Because right now, she needs all of us.

She needs us to help pay for this life-saving surgery.

She needs us to help get her home to Canada once she's stable.

She needs time and support to recover — physically, emotionally, and financially.

A Son Watching His Mom Suffer

Her son, barely 18, is alone in a strange country, watching his mom in pain and trying to hold it all together. I can’t imagine the fear he must be feeling. No child should have to go through that. No mother should be without a safety net when she’s given so much to everyone else her whole life. Peyton is alone in a foreign country, trying to support his mom while dealing with language barriers, cultural differences, and terrifying uncertainty.

Our Goal

We’re hoping to raise $75,000 CAD to cover:

Emergency ambulance and hospital bills

Surgery and aftercare

Flights home to Canada

Cost of living while Dione recovers and cannot work

Any unexpected gaps in insurance might not cover

Please Help Us

If Dione has ever touched your life — or if her story touches your heart — please consider donating. Every dollar helps, and every share spreads her story further.

We want to bring Dione home safely, give her the care she needs, and ease the financial pressure on her and her son during this nightmare.

From one mother, one friend, one human to another: please help me bring my best friend home.

Thank you so much for reading and caring.

— Belinda (Calgary, Alberta)