Strathmore lobby efforts move on to provincial level

By Miriam Ostermann, Associate Editor

Albertan hemodialysis patients are one step closer to receiving financial aid to offset soaring water bills associated with the treatment, owing to a colossal amount of support by the province’s municipalities at this year’s Alberta Urban Municipality Association (AUMA) conference.
Town of Strathmore Councillor Jason Montgomery delivered the resolution to a room of over 1,000 delegates, for AUMA to urge the province to provide means by which home hemodialysis patients may offset added utility – electricity and water – costs for patients who conduct hemodialysis in their homes.
Strathmore town council vowed to address the topic at this year’s AUMA conference in Sept. 2017, when a motion was also passed to implement a grant program locally to aid with the financial burden for those patients undergoing treatment at home – at the time water bills climbed to $700 a year.
On Sept. 28, the motion was passed with more than 85 per cent of the vote.
“I’m hoping that it’ll relieve a bit of the burden for the people that are already dealing with medical issues and make their lives a bit less stressful,” Montgomery said. “There was nothing controversial about it, it was a fairly small amount in the grand scheme of things, money wise, and it’s designed to help people who are in need of help. I’m not totally surprised of the outcome but I’m glad and thankful that everyone was thinking of the bigger picture.”
Currently no funding is available to the 80 patients in southern Alberta – two of which are in Strathmore and area – to recover the extra costs. The equipment used for home hemodialysis is provided to patients from Alberta Health Services and uses water while operating and treating the patients. Bob Howe, was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) in 2009, and approached council in 2017 regarding his water bill that had become a burden. He has been instrumental on making the voices of those in need of hemodialysis heard through advocating with different groups including the Kidney Foundation, and was pleased about the outcome at AUMA.
“I’ve been fighting for all of this for a long time … you have no idea what this means to me and my wife, because there is a lot more to it than getting a grant,” Howe said. “It’s the acknowledgement, number one. Number two, if that happens where the province acknowledges it, which I hope they do, it means that we’re not alone out here.
“I was a truck driver for 40 years and I was no different than anyone else and I took it for granted. Most of us do, until something happens. I may not be able to help myself in my life but I’m sure going to be able to help a whole lot of other people that are coming into it. They shouldn’t have to go through what I’ve gone through and what other people like myself have gone through.”
The benefits of being able to conduct home hemodialysis include improved patient outcome, reduction in travel-related expenses, increased personal time and overall improved quality of life. Yet for those on fixed incomes, the treatment is often unaffordable, with increased water costs able to reach 300 per cent. In turn Strathmore implemented a grant to local patients, while seeking support from AHS to cover the costs, as the same costs are covered for patients who receive the treatment in hospitals.
Councillor Denise Peterson, who’s been supportive and vocal about the issue, was surprised at the lack of pushback at AUMA.
“I think the message is that if you have something that’s rational, reasonable, cost effective and improves quality of life for your community you just need to stay with it, until it happens,” said Councillor Denise Peterson.
After Okotoks seconded the motion, it was passed with more than 85 per cent in favour on Sept. 28. Peterson expects the issue to come before the province over the next few months.