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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, July 10, 2014 | 6 Spotlight by Nathan Howes Special to the Beaver "Connected to your Community" Money Matters at Wellspring Birmingham Gilgan House T he nancial costs of cancer can end up being as much of a burden as the disease itself. Monetary issues are often among the concerns of people newly-diagnosed with cancer, according to the Wellspring Cancer Support Network. To alleviate that concern, the community-based cancer support organization's no-cost Money Matters program offers people an opportunity to meet with a case manager to review personal information and address their nances. They will also help people nd suitable income replacement and drug bene t programs. In the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Money Matters is offered at Wellspring's Birmingham Gilgan House in Oakville and its downtown Toronto centre. "People who are diagnosed and start treatment have to leave work and often wonder, `What am I entitled to program-wise? Do I apply for this program or Canada Pension (Plan)? Do I qualify for employment insurance?'" Wellspring program development manager Pamela Bowes said. "We sit down with people to help them nd what they're entitled to, where they go rst, work on the paperwork with them and help them access their entitlements." She said Money Matters is the "only service of its kind in Canada" that is tailored to offer nancial assistance to those ghting cancer. The program is vital to the community because the "need is there for people, but there's nowhere to get speci c information related to money," Bowes explained. "Money is a very taboo topic. People are worried about bringing up money worries or they're having trouble accessing the system and they don't know where to go," said Bowes. "Coming to a program that is speci cally focused on solving those money worries is so important." The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) and Statistics Canada estimate there will be close to 74,000 new cases of cancer in Ontario this year. According to CCS, nine out of 10 Canadian families affected by cancer report some nancial challenge as incomes decline and household costs rise. The program development manager said most cancer patients will take a signi cant " nancial hit" because the majority of income replacement programs pay less than a salary. "Employment insurance only pays 55 per cent of someone's earnings. That's a loss of 45 per cent of your income. Canada Pension Plan Disability pays maybe 30 per cent of previous earnings," said Bowes. Other costs associated with living with cancer can include medical appointments and treatments. "There are prescribed medications they have to take that they're getting lled at their local pharmacy. They may only be covered 80 per cent, based on what their employer covers. That's another out-of-pocket expense," said Bowes. She mentioned several case studies where Wellspring tracked its clients' income for more than a year, noting many people were losing between 30-65 per cent of their pay. "It can be as much as 70 per cent or as little as 10 per cent. It Pamela Bowes brought the Money Matters program to Wellspring's Birmingham Gilgan House in Oakville. Also offered at Wellspring's downtown Toronto centre, the program assisted 70 people last year in Oakville. Financial issues are often a major concern for those diagnosed with cancer. | photo by Graham Paine ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) We could leave the issue and not touch it or we could invest in it. Wellspring invested in the idea of the program and brought along funders. If you solve their money worries, they can comply with their treatment and they can get better faster. Pamela Bowes Wellspring Program Development Manager doesn't matter what it is, everybody feels that loss. If you have a 10-per-cent reduction, you're going to feel that. If you have a 40-per-cent drop in income, you feel that," said Bowes. The initiative was Bowes' idea and rst launched in 2009 at Wellspring's Toronto facility. It opened at Oakville's Birmingham Gilgan House in 2013, and assisted more than 70 people last year. "When I came to Wellspring, it wasn't on the horizon at all. Once I brought the topic out of the closet, they wanted to meet with someone, they wanted to talk about their issues," said Bowes, who joined Wellspring in 2002. While the program operates in Oakville, Money Matters does serve those in "the greater area of Halton" and beyond, Bowes said. "Wellspring has a centre in Niagara Falls and Brampton. People who are not close to those centres would come to this one. We even have a large number of people coming from western Toronto," said Bowes, noting there is no time limit on using the program. Wellspring receives no ongoing government funding and is supported through donations and sponsorships. The Money Matters program at Birmingham Gilgan House is partially funded by grants through the Faas Foundation, R. Howard Webster Foundation, RBC Foundation, Mississauga Community Foundation and Halton Region. "We could leave the issue and not touch it or we could invest in it. Wellspring invested in the idea of the program and brought along funders. If you solve their money worries, they can comply with their treatment and they can get better faster." Wellspring Birmingham Gilgan House is located at 2545 Sixth Line, Oakville. Those interested in using the program can book an appointment by calling 905-257-1988. For more information, visit www. wellspring.ca. 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