Hi all, new in Ontario

[poubis]

Hi all,
I am very new in Canada,residing in Guelph, Ontario now for the last one month. I am a student in University of Guelph, and my husband has CKD, he is in stage 3, 35 years old now. We both don't know a lot about the disease (although I have started reading online forums and other resources after his diagnosis last year). Also I have almost no idea about the Canadian health and insurance system. I would like to get introduced and keep in touch with people with CKD, I also would like to join a local chapter. Please let me know if there is any chapter or CKD association in Guelph or its proximity.

Thank you very much. Hope to hear from you very soon.
Poubis. 

[getlife]

Poubis,

We have a member on this forum that is from Canada.  She may make some suggestions.

Welcome to kidneyspace.  Please feel free to keep us posted.  We would really like to hear from you.

I will get in touch with our Canadian member for you.

Getlife

[poubis]

Thank you so much getlife... I really appreciate it. Nice to meet you here 

[Angie]

Hi all,
I am very new in Canada,residing in Guelph, Ontario now for the last one month. I am a student in University of Guelph, and my husband has CKD, he is in stage 3, 35 years old now. We both don't know a lot about the disease (although I have started reading online forums and other resources after his diagnosis last year). Also I have almost no idea about the Canadian health and insurance system. I would like to get introduced and keep in touch with people with CKD, I also would like to join a local chapter. Please let me know if there is any chapter or CKD association in Guelph or its proximity.

Thank you very much. Hope to hear from you very soon.
Poubis.  

Hi Poubis,

Your name looks familiar. I am Canadian as well as another member named Jester on here. We are both from Ontario as well. I will tell Jester to come check out this thread as well. Thanks Getlife for notifying me.

Your local Kidney Foundation of Canada Chapter is here:

379 Dundas St, Ste 119
London, ON N6B 1V5
1-800-667-3597
Mon to Fri 8:30am - 4:30pm
Areas Served: Bruce County ; Dufferin County ; Erin ; Fergus ; Grey County ; Guelph ; Mount Forest ; Waterloo Region ; Wellington County

** There is no longer an office in Kitchener (as there used to be for Guelph and Kitchener and Waterloo), but Kidney Foundation staff are available locally to provide information on Kidney disease and organ donation, offer a speaker for events, assist with their fundraisers, and work with volunteers who are interested in fund development as well as outreach programs.

Here is additional information about stages of Kidney Disease from the Kidney Foundation of Canada as well as here is an online book that gives a LOT of information (that my unit had given me in binder form before I knew it was on the net):

CKD Stages: http://www.kidney.ca/page.aspx?pid=320

Living with Kidney Disease Manual: http://www.kidney.ca/page.aspx?pid=394

Magazines: http://www.kidney.ca/page.aspx?pid=542

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfrgNqTTArE

Supposedly you can contact them here but their emails are on the other links I have given (I don't post email addresses on Forums as it is public and spammers grab them and spam them so just look at the previous links or try this on or Private Message me and I will tell you there).
http://www.guelphnow.ca/cdps/contactus.cfm?nid=10456

Also depending on what type of kidney disease you have there may be support groups in your area (such as for Polycystic Kidney Disease there is this one: http://www.endpkd.ca/Hamilton/index.asp)

Also when it comes to coverage, myself I am on ODSP (Ontario Disability Support Program) because I was not able to pay into Federal enough to qualify for CPP (Canada Pension Plan) Disability where as you might.  Both are worth checking out for coverage. I didn't get on ODSP until after I started dialysis however but temporarily they put me on Welfare (but the disability part of it that is not publicly advertised so I wasn't forced to look for work and they did cover my medications) until ODSP kicked in (they said 6 months but it took 9 months but I was still getting money from Welfare so I was fine). Through ODSP I get extra money for a special diet (information for your region on that here: http://accesswaterlooregion.ca/admin/sources/editor/assets/pdfs_documents/SpecialDiet_February2011_REV.pdf)

Other resources:

http://www.kidney.ca/page.aspx?pid=406

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RQvG5MJuVQ

Are YOU Kidney Clever? http://kidney.ca/quiz

If you ever forget who was that Canadian girl on this forum just look in this Canadian section and click on the moderator. That is me You can also find me on KidneyKorner.com

Also for drug coverage all across Canada look at this link: http://www.drugcoverage.ca/

Many links online could be scams so that is why I searched for a credible one for you incase you start searching. Many Americans think that we have our medication covered. Only some Provinces do but not Ontario. Of course you know we have our doctor visits and hospital stays and dialysis covered (Under OHIP - Ontario Health Insurance Program - as long as you are an Ontario resident) but not medication. However on disability you do and there are many supports for you because of being a Canadian. Before I was on Welfare and then Disability I was told about this:

http://www.drugcoverage.ca/p_guide_on.asp

and told that I would qualify for the Trillium Drug Program:

http://www.drugcoverage.ca/p_benefit_on.asp

There is also a service supplied by the Kidney Foundation of Canada called "Peer Support". More info on that here:

http://kidneykorner.com/smfbb/index.php?topic=2089.0

The KIDNEY CONNECT Program:
http://www.kidney.ca/Page.aspx?pid=1206

Also if you are on Facebook there are a few good pages there:

Canadian Kidney Connection:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=68965850985

Also you can search for events in your area (which there usually isn't right in Guelph but there might be in close cities such as Hamilton or  Kitchener):

http://kidney.ca/Page.aspx?pid=255

There is a monthly support group in surrounding areas that may be of interest to you. You can contact Anne Brinkman at 1-877-202-8222 (I can also contact her for you if you wish but she would rather you contact her directly for the reasons of privacy).

Kidney Connect Peer Support Group Meeting - Freeport Health Centre

Tue, 15 Nov, 2011 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

For those living with kidney disease, life has its special challenges....

The Kidney Foundation of Canada, Ontario Branch and the Grand River Hospital Renal Program are now offering a monthly support group. The support group, facilitated by Kidney Connect Peer Support Volunteers, is an opportunity for you to come out to meet and talk with others who have "been there" too.

People living with chronic kidney disease, including those diagnosed with CKD, on dialysis, transplanted, considering transplant, family members or caregivers are welcome.

Location:   Freeport Health Centre, Board Room VC2
3570 King Street East, Kitchener, ON (Map)

I knew I recognized your name! You had posted on the DaVita forums first! Sorry I didn't see your reply there. I am not there a lot since that is American (just like here) and have been busy updating the Kidney Foundation of Canada facebook page for my area (Windsor & Essex County, Ontario). Now that I realize who you are I must ask if you and your husband are citizens of Canada or on temporary Green Card and if you are able to apply for OHIP or don't have that. If you don't have OHIP then you would have hospital and doctor costs after all. You get OHIP after being in Canada as a resident or citizen for 6 months and then can apply for OHIP.

Since I have been in Canada my whole life I cannot tell you the costs of insurance without OHIP as I don't know. Contacting someone from the Government of Canada can answer a LOT of questions for you regarding insurance:

Call the ministry INFOline at 1-800-664-8988
(Toll-free in Ontario only)
TTY 1-800-387-5559
Hours of operation : 8:30am - 5:00pm

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/pub/ohip/canada.html

OHIP Waiting Period: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/pub/ohip/wait.html

Canadian Government Frequently Asked Questions: http://www.canada.gc.ca/comments-commentaires/faq-eng.html

Benefit Finder: http://www.canadabenefits.gc.ca/faechome.jsp?lang=en

Also while searching for more resources for you I found a site that is supposedly for Canadian patients with CKD where you can ask questions if you register as a member (I believe it is free but not sure as I am not a member there): http://www.cannt.ca/en/index.html

Also if you need any kidney diet recipes there is a Canadian site here for that: http://www.myspiceitup.ca/

Also while researching these resources for you I made a new thread on my own forums here: http://kidneykorner.com/smfbb/index.php?topic=4130.0

[poubis]

Angie,
I really do not know how to thank you .. I am going through it now. Looks like it will take me some time to go through the whole thing. Till then, I just want to say, you are awesome, as are Jaster and Getlife. Honestly, when I posted here, I did not expect this much. I pray for you all. Will write here very soon.
Poubis.
N.B. I am not a Canadian, we both hold Indian passport, I came here in Guelph University as a PhD student,( temporary resident now).Husband is still not in Canada, He is eager to come here, depending upon the medical facilities. If he comes, he will be coming as a permanent resident(?).From that point we both will apply for citizenship. I have no idea though,how long the total procedure will take.

[Angie]

Angie,
I really do not know how to thank you .. I am going through it now. Looks like it will take me some time to go through the whole thing. Till then, I just want to say, you are awesome, as are Jaster and Getlife. Honestly, when I posted here, I did not expect this much. I pray for you all. Will write here very soon.
Poubis.
N.B. I am not a Canadian, we both hold Indian passport, I came here in Guelph University as a PhD student,( temporary resident now).Husband is still not in Canada, He is eager to come here, depending upon the medical facilities. If he comes, he will be coming as a permanent resident(?).From that point we both will apply for citizenship. I have no idea though,how long the total procedure will take.

Ah in that case he won't qualify for a lot of the services. The Kidney Foundation of Canada should have some information however so it would help calling them Good luck! And also are you Poulami on Facebook who is in contact with me there? Just wondering even though I know your known as Poubis on here people don't always go by their names.

[poubis]

Yes Angie, I am the one in facebook, who sent you the friend request.

[MCI]

Hello I am from Ontario as well.. I've been on ODSP since 1995 for other health issues.

Thanks Angie for posting all that info! Greatly appreciated 

[poubis]

Hi MCI, nice to meet you.

Hi Angie,

just to let you know that I went to the freeport hospital kidney support group. It was really helpful and informative, all nice people around. I am planning to be there every month, if my schedules permit me. Really liked it there, thank you so much for the support group info.

Poubis.

[Angie]

Hello I am from Ontario as well.. I've been on ODSP since 1995 for other health issues.

Thanks Angie for posting all that info! Greatly appreciated  

No problem. Yes I was told that I would always be on ODSP (I was worried I would lose it if I earned too much money in a job but they said at that point I would get no money but just a med card - that paper thing that comes with the monthly statement).

Hi MCI, nice to meet you.

Hi Angie,

just to let you know that I went to the freeport hospital kidney support group. It was really helpful and informative, all nice people around. I am planning to be there every month, if my schedules permit me. Really liked it there, thank you so much for the support group info.

Poubis.

No problem! Glad I could help in any way.