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CBC
5 days ago
- Health
- CBC
This cancer survivor celebrated her birthday by paying strangers' hospital parking fees
Krystyna Locke decided to celebrate her 63rd birthday in a very familiar place — the cancer clinic at her local hospital. The London, Ont., lymphoma survivor spent the last year fundraising to cover cancer patients' parking fees, one of the many out-of-pocket costs related to health care that can add up over time and become a burden. On Tuesday, she set up near an entrance at the London Health Sciences Centre with a stack of parking vouchers and a banner that reads: "Happy birthday to me. Your parking is free." "Today, I received hugs. I received kisses on the cheek. I shared tears with people. I shared laughter. There was joking. It just completely lightens the mood," Locke told As It Happens guest host Aarti Pole. "They're walking very heavy because they're carrying a burden, right? And when they saw my sign, they would walk up to me and, right away, a big smile on their face and they were so thankful." Locke's long cancer journey Locke can recognize that heaviness in strangers because she's experienced it herself. In 2004, she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. "Walking into the cancer clinic, especially for the first time, you're terrified, you are anxious, it's unknown, and the carpet's been ripped out from under your feet," she said. "You have no idea if you're going to even survive the next year." Soon after her initial diagnosis, she says, doctors removed 26 lymph nodes from one side of her neck. But that was only the beginning of her cancer journey. Over the next two decades, she would return to the cancer clinic for regular checkups so doctors could monitor her health, until 2023, when a much more aggressive form of lymphoma developed on the other side of her neck. After that, she says, she had to undergo chemotherapy, and make more frequent visits to the London hospital's Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre. But, today, she is cancer-free. "When I was done my treatments, I just felt like I needed to do something more," she said. "I wanted to do something that would directly go to the patient. And what better way than covering their parking for the day?" Cancer's hidden costs Parking fees have long put a financial strain on patients in Canada, where health-care is free, but the associated non-medical costs are not. A Canadian Cancer Society report in December estimated cancer patients face on average almost $33,000 in out-of-pocket cancer-related costs in their lifetime, a number that's expected to rise with the cost of living. These costs, the report notes, include things like medication, lost wages, travel, caregiving, lodgings, food, and, yes, parking fees. "I've been going to the cancer clinic for over two decades, and when you're there … you do strike up conversations with other patients," Locke said. "The common theme was how long we're waiting [and] we know that that means our parking is going to cost more." At the London Health Sciences Centre, the maximum daily parking fee is $12. But at hospitals in downtown Toronto, those daily rates can be more than twice as much. A London Health Sciences Centre spokesperson acknowledged the financial burden that comes with parking fees, especially for long-term patients, but said the revenue collected goes towards the hospital's operational costs. In fact, hospitals in Ontario have to re-invest their parking fees under provincial regulations, put in place in 2016. Those rules also require institutions that charge more than $10 a day to offer patients, their family members and visitors five-day, 10-day and 30-day passes at a 50 per cent discount off the daily maximum rate. But when hospitals don't own parking lots, nearby private parking isn't subject to the rules. WATCH | The out-of-pocket costs of cancer care: Cancer costs Canadian patients $33K on average 8 months ago An NDP motion to eliminate hospital parking fees for patients, families, and health-care workers in Ontario — and cover revenue shortfalls for hospitals — was voted down in June. Nova Scotia started covering the cost of hospital parking in May for patients, health-care workers and visitors. Quebec, since 2020, has offered free parking for the first two hours at public health institutions for patients and visitors, and capped hospital parking fees at $10 a day. British Columbia ended its two-year free hospital parking in 2022, saying that too many drivers abused the system for non-health-care-related reasons. The province still covers the cost for patients receiving dialysis or cancer treatment in acute-care programs, and for parents or caregivers of children staying in the hospital overnight. While Locke says free hospital parking would be the ideal scenario, she says people who want to help ease patients' burden can do so right now by following her lead. She raised $3,700 throughout the year, first by collecting empty beer and liquor bottles from friends and family, and later by teaming up with the hospital to create a fundraising page. On Tuesday, she was able to cover parking for roughly 300 patients. "A lovely surprise," said Trish Eagleson, one of the people who received a free parking pass from Locke. "It's a wonderful initiative." While she's giving back to others, Locke says it's also a birthday gift for herself. "They brought me as much joy as I was bringing to them, because I know how they're feeling at that moment when they're walking into the clinic," she said. "It's just a wonderful feeling knowing that I was making someone happy." Locke, whose actual birthday is in July, plans to return next summer to celebrate her 64th.
CTV News
7 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
London cancer survivor celebrates birthday by covering patients' parking
Krystyna Locke is celebrating turning 63 by paying the parking fees for cancer patients. The lymphoma cancer survivor knows just how quickly those bills add up after a 20-year journey of hospital visits to London Health Sciences Centre. That's why she's raised more than $3,700 to pay for 250 parking passes today. She says the $12 maximum daily fee may not sound like a lot, but it can be a significant expense for those going to the hospital for 30 days of radiation. A Canadian Cancer Society report in December estimated cancer patients face on average almost $33,000 in out-of-pocket cancer-related costs in their lifetime, including parking fees. Some provinces are taking this matter into their own hands. Nova Scotia started covering the cost of hospital parking in May by implementing a ticket validation system for patients, health-care workers and visitors. In Ontario, an NDP motion to eliminate hospital parking fees for patients, families, and healthcare workers, and cover revenue shortfalls for hospitals, was voted down in June. Almonte General Hospital southwest of Ottawa is capping parking costs at a daily fee of $5 beginning this month.
Global News
18-07-2025
- Health
- Global News
‘Greed and corruption' plaguing troubled London, Ont. hospital, ex-doctor claims
A former doctor is speaking out about financial mismanagement at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), saying it's the patients and health-care workers who will suffer. 'It was a shock, and this whole uncertainty about where we stand has created a lack of trust between the front line workers and administrative leaders,' Dr. Ian Chin-Yee told Global News. Chin-Yee, 65, the former program head of laboratory medicine and blood transfusion laboratories at the hospital network, retired in January. He spent 35 years of his career working for LHSC, 20 of which in leadership positions, and says the recent allegations of fraud and financial mismanagement have evoked unexpecting emotions of his time as a front line physician and health care leader 'working to improve a system in urgent need of repair.' 'Learning of the egregious allegations triggered feelings of anger and betrayal by my hospital,' he says in a letter written in response to the recent news. Story continues below advertisement Chin-Yee says he worked alongside many dedicated health care professionals, all focused on delivering the best care the system could provide. 'We struggled to deliver and improve care within a system that is financially strained and often inefficient. We were aware of promising new technologies, tests, and therapies becoming available for our patients but whose access was often limited by lack of human resources, hospital space, and money,' he says. Last week, officials at LHSC revealed that an audit of the hospital network's finances had revealed nearly in $60 million alleged fraud involving several former executives and board members. The hospital network has now filed two lawsuits, which implicated five former executive team members, a contractor, and several companies that were contracted to do work. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'The Fraudulent Scheme was a calculated, multi-year campaign of deceit and theft, deliberately engineered to misappropriate public funds for personal and unlawful gain,' the lawsuit alleges. None of these allegations have been proven in court, but the financial fraud is under investigation by London police. The hospital network's financial mismanagement has been in the spotlight for quite some time, with a projected operating deficit of $150-million operating deficit expected for 2025. But as new details start to emerge, Chin-Yee says it's frustrating and makes him angry, learning more about why teams he worked to build were cut due to the financial situation at the hospital. Story continues below advertisement He says his specific focus at the hospital was reducing unnecessary tests to introduce new tests that are more detailed and help improve patient outcomes and save the hospital money overall. 'Over five years the cost savings added up and we were proud to have saved our hospital over a million dollars. But these savings pale in comparison to the $60 million alleged fraud occurring at LHSC over the past several years,' he says. 'Yes, I am angry when the very leaders who applauded our Choosing Wisely efforts turned a blind eye to this alleged criminal activity.' He says the repercussions of the gross mismanagement of hospital funds will ultimately lead to patients and front line workers suffering the consequences. 'We are told to tighten our belts and be 'fiscally responsible' — as if we had caused the problem, when in fact, it was greed and corruption at the top,' he remarked. The former LHSC doctor says despite dire need, hiring was halted, departments were dismantled, existing jobs were cut, and funding for new technology was frozen leading to talented leaders were driven out. He says in an effort to make things 'more efficient,' physicians and allied health professionals are now even more overworked, including his own former department who experienced staffing cuts while already struggling to meet demand. Story continues below advertisement London Health Sciences Centre is one of the largest hospital networks in the province, a hub where many smaller hospitals throughout the Southwestern Ontario send patients to for specialist care. Chin-Yee says his department would have samples flown in form other parts of the province for specialized screening that can only be done at a few places. 'The lack of human resources, I'm talking doctors, laboratory technologists, all of these things for doing this testing leads to delayed turnaround times in terms of sample results. We already struggle to meet the needed turnaround time to get the results of a biopsy so the patient can have the appropriate treatment,' he warns. 'The impact — burning out and quickly losing morale. These disruptions threaten to snuff out the embers of innovation that keep our institution moving forward,' he says. Chin-Yee is hopeful that LHSC will enter a period of stability and working to rebuild trust, but says health care changes so quickly so it needs to happen now. 'You can't wait two or three years for stability; by then we will have fallen behind further and… these setbacks have wasted a lot time and energy, and it's urgent that administration starts working with the medical leadership so that we can make sure that patients don't suffer.'
Global News
10-07-2025
- Business
- Global News
London hospital uncovers $60M in alleged financial fraud
Officials at London Health Sciences Centre say a forensic audit of the hospital network's finances by an external third party has uncovered an estimated $60 million in fraud. In an update Wednesday, hospital supervisor David Musyj says through an investigation they identified fraudulent activity between 2013 and 2024, and alleges previous members of the executive team knew about the practices and failed to act. The hospital network has now filed two lawsuits totalling $60 million, which implicated five former executive team members, a contractor, and several companies that were contracted to do work. 'The Fraudulent Scheme was a calculated, multi-year campaign of deceit and theft, deliberately engineered to misappropriate public funds for personal and unlawful gain,' the lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit alleges that those involved submitted fraudulent documents to LHSC as part of a bidding and payment process and failed to declare a material conflict of interest. It goes on to say that those involved then awarded contracts to parties despite conflicts of interest and submitted inflated invoices for work that was never performed. Story continues below advertisement The lawsuit also points to three of the people involved owning at least 76 suspicious properties holding total over $28 million in value purchased during the period the alleged fraud occurred. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy A statement of claim has been filed against Dipesh Patel, the previous vice-president of Facilities, Derek Lall, Paresh Soni, Nilesh Modi, Varsha Patel, and several named companies in the amount of $50 million. Additionally, a second statement of claim has been filed against the hospital networks previous president and CEO, Dr. Jackie Schleifer Taylor, Bradley Campbell the former corporate hospital administrative executive, and Abhi Mukherjee, the previous corporate services executive/CFO, as well as the consultancy firm Corpus Sanchez International Consultancy Inc., for breach of fiduciary duties. The hospital says Mukherjee, Schleifer Taylor and Campbell are no longer with the organization and were paid according to their employment contracts and legal agreements. However, given the alleged findings, it is pursuing repayment in the collective amount of $10 million. The statement of claim alleges that the fraudulent activity was reported to Schleifer Taylor, Campbell and Mukherjee, and they failed to take action in their 'fiduciary duties as executive leaders of the hospital by not informing LHSC's internal auditor, external auditors, and Board of Directors.' Musyj called the alleged frauds a 'deeply disappointing moment.' 'It's not who we are at LHSC and it's not a reflection of our team,' he said. Story continues below advertisement Musyj says the financial audit is ongoing and that all findings have been handed over to the London Police Services as they continue their investigation. London police posted on X in October 2024 that it had initiated a fraud investigation relating to past financial practices at LHSC. At the time, LHSC wrote a post saying the police probe is 'in response to concerns raised by London Health Sciences Centre.' The hospital network's financial mismanagement has been in the spotlight for quite some time, with a projected operating deficit of $150-million operating deficit expected for 2025. In late September, LHSC's entire board of directors resigned following public criticism over the hospital's spending. Musyj, who was appointed supervisor at LHSC in 2024 by the provincial government and acts as interim CEO, says other staff involved in the alleged misconduct are no longer employed at LHSC. None of these allegations have been proven in court. — With files from Global News' Emily Passfield and Aaron D'Andrea
CTV News
10-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
London, Ont. hospital sues former staff, contractors for $60M+ in alleged fraud and negligence
London Health Sciences Centre files lawsuits seeking over $60 million after decade-long fraud and negligence, reports CTV's Reta Ismail.
