James Douglas Miller

Hi, my name is Gina, and I’m fundraising to help cover the cremation costs for my father, who passed away on June 9th after a short but courageous battle with cancer.

In late May, he collapsed at home and was rushed to the hospital. Tragically, he was left in an overcrowded room for 8 days without a diagnosis, endured unnecessary physiotherapy despite spinal pain, and by the next day, was paralyzed from the chest down. He was dehydrated, in discomfort, and starting to develop bed sores. After much pleading, he was finally assigned a new doctor, and testing revealed advanced bone cancer, brain cancer, and lymphoma. We begged for palliative care to let him pass with dignity, but this didn’t happen and the one offering of a pressure mattress he needed arrived just one hour before he died.

My dad and stepmother lived very modestly in Paris, Ontario. He had no life insurance, and now she is left with the funeral home bill, unable to work due to a large, painful cyst on her foot and managing type 1 diabetes with no income. My husband and I are also stretched financially and unable to help as much as we’d like.

A coworker suggested GoFundMe. I don’t know if it will work, but we have to try — she’s overwhelmed and in crisis.

My dad lived an incredible life. He was an army veteran, a corrections officer at the Thorold Detention Centre, a bar and restaurant owner in Crystal Beach (famous for his wings!), a Mason (which he loved!), a fuel barge worker, and even spent time in Yellowknife before settling in Paris. He was full of stories, strength, and pride.

If you can help in any way, even by sharing this, we would be deeply grateful.

Warm regards,

Gina