Tannis Preete and Glen Leonard Emergency Support

Hi, my name is Michele Royle. I am raising funds for Tannis Preete and Glen Leonard.

Most of you know that for over two years Tannis and Glen have been battling Tannis's very serious back and hip issues. Several specialists and surgeons later, the plan is in place!

Tannis has been working from home and managing her pain. Before her spine surgery, she required a hip replacement. After an agonizing wait, that surgery finally happened on April 9. The plan was for her to miss 10 days of work. After major complications, it was 45 days in hospital before she could go home. The extended hospital care has depleted all of her accrued paid leave.

Tannis will be eligible for long-term disability, but first she needs to exhaust her medical employment insurance benefits. Before collecting EI, she will need to endure two weeks of leave without pay. Unfortunately, the medical EI benefit rate is inadequate to make ends meet.

Tannis has an extraordinary amount of out-of-pocket expenses due to her medical condition. For example, prescriptions are averaging $400 out of pocket for a month. On top of that, while on EI, she will have to pay her own as well as her employer's share of her health insurance premiums. Her EI benefit will be less than $600 per week.

Tannis hopes to be cleared for her spine surgery in January 2024, and she has every hope that this recovery will be easier and faster than her hip surgery.

Glen has been amazingly devoted. He has been by her side every moment. Organizing Tannis's care is complex, and advocating for her care is exhausting This level of financial stress is devastating. After two years of deteriorating health, there is no financial reserve and barely the resilience left to keep up their basic needs. They are humbled to be asking friends and family to help them through this dire situation. Your help will relieve an immense burden, so that they can focus on healing and getting life back to normal.

I am asking you to contribute what you can and join me in supporting Tannis and Glen through this difficult time.