A Saskatoon woman recovering from lifesaving brain surgery is facing significant financial hardship after the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health refused to cover her travel expenses to receive the specialized treatment in another province.
A Sudden Diagnosis and a Necessary Journey
In April 2024, Tammy O'Brien, a 54-year-old mother of two, woke up completely deaf in her right ear. A visit to the emergency room led to a referral to an ear, nose, and throat specialist, who suspected a brain tumour. An MRI confirmed the diagnosis, and a neurologist recommended Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKR), a precise non-invasive procedure not offered in Saskatchewan.
O'Brien underwent the surgery in November 2024 in Edmonton, with doctors estimating a two-year recovery period. However, her focus on healing was quickly overshadowed by a bureaucratic and financial struggle.
"I Felt Dismissed and Degraded": The Fight for Coverage
Despite being on a fixed income, O'Brien was informed by ministry officials that her out-of-province travel expenses would not be covered. She was left with $854 in travel costs for the essential medical trip.
"I was shocked," O'Brien said, recounting a phone call with the ministry where she explained her precarious financial situation. "At the end of the call she said I could try crowdfunding and I was shocked. I felt dismissed and degraded."
After returning from Edmonton, O'Brien sent the bill directly to the health minister's office, pleading for an exception. "I asked her if they could make an exception in my case. I said, I have a rare brain tumour. How often could this possibly happen?" she recalled. The response was a reiteration of policy: travel costs are not reimbursed.
Political Pressure Mounts Over "Unprecedented" System Failure
The issue was brought to public attention at a press conference on January 7, 2026, where O'Brien was joined by NDP MLA Darcy Warrington and health critic Keith Jorgenson.
Jorgenson condemned the situation, stating, "a person that has a brain tumour should not need to set up a GoFundMe page in order to access life-saving treatment." He argued the scale of people forced to leave Saskatchewan for care is now "unprecedented" and called for a new government action plan.
"Clearly in this situation it's a life-threatening condition and the treatment is required for the person to continue to be alive," Jorgenson said. "What we would hate to see is people dying because they can't go and get treatment in other provinces."
In a statement, a Ministry of Health spokesperson confirmed the policy, emailing that the government "does not provide coverage or reimbursement for travel accommodations and meal expenses" for out-of-province or international medical care. This leaves patients like Tammy O'Brien, who survived a medical crisis, to now navigate a financial one alone.
