Закрытие детской программы диабета в Реджайне заставит семьи из южной Саскачевана ездить в Саскатун

For a Midale mother of a seven-year-old type 1 diabetic, the closure of Regina’s pediatric diabetes program will mean longer travel times for treatment, higher costs, greater stress and less support. "Timely and consistent treatment is essential," said Jennifer Simmons, whose daughter Kinsley was diagnosed last November. "Type 1 doesn’t take breaks." Parents in southern Saskatchewan with diabetic children were shocked last month when they were informed, by letter, that the Regina Pediatric Diabetes Program was closing, and they would instead have to travel to Saskatoon for treatment. The Saskatchewan Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Program wrote on Aug. 28 that recent staffing losses and the resulting challenges in maintaining the necessary resources to support the program made it impossible to continue to provide local diabetes care in Regina at this time. The program noted that it had been advocating with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) for staff and resources “for many years,” but to no avail. The SHA, responding to the StarPhoenix in a statement, said it had “implemented a strategy” to provide ongoing coverage for current patients through pediatric specialists in Regina, though some patients requiring specialized endocrinology care "may need" to access services in Saskatoon. The SHA also said the letter "contained incomplete information regarding plans for patient care." At a news conference on Monday, provincial Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said he was “personally disappointed” with the letter, “just in the tone of its finality.” “If I'm one of those 150 families affected, and I've heard from many of them over the weekend, what they read in that letter is that that service will no longer be available in Regina, and that is not going to be the case," he said. "We are going to work with our teams here, work with the Saskatchewan Health Authority, to make sure that we can have those services available right here to those families in southern Saskatchewan." However, the minister did not offer a timeline for staffing and the restoration of the lost services. Regina program crucial, says mother For Simmons and her family, getting to Regina takes about 90 minutes. The drive to Saskatoon, however, is about two-and-a-half hours or longer, she said, while appointments last about an hour. "For many type 1 families, it will be a two-day trip. Some parents have already reached out to me to say they wouldn’t be able to do it regularly, especially in winter," Simmons said. Her daughter Kinsley requires a visit to the clinic every three to four months to manage her insulin pump settings and receive specialized support. "The one-day trip is crucial for us because of other health issues in our family. We might have to lean on virtual consultations if we can’t get to Saskatoon regularly," she said. Simmons said she’d heard about staffing changes a few weeks before the letter was sent, but they were not told there would be closures or about the need to go to Saskatoon. She also worries that with the added burden on the Saskatoon program, treatment could suffer. There is already a waiting list for insulin pump therapy, Simmons noted. She said she has been impressed with the treatment and education the Regina program provides, which would make its closure that much more disappointing. Clarity needed: Diabetes Canada Diabetes Canada was not made aware of the SHA letter before it was released, according to Karen McPherson, manager of government affairs for Western Canada. "We were alerted to the decision by a couple of concerned parents," she said. Worried that the program’s closure could put vulnerable children at risk and add to the complexity of their care, McPherson said Diabetes Canada had drafted a letter to the provincial health minister "expressing concern and offering cooperation and support in resolving the situation" and "providing medical or policy information if needed." McPherson noted that access to timely and consistent care are essential to managing the condition, which might be interrupted by complicated logistics. "What we’re really concerned about is that the government provides clarity on a transition plan that explains how children and youth affected by the closure of the Regina clinic will receive timely and specialized pediatric diabetes care." Despite the uncertainty, Simmons is optimistic that an answer will be found. "We are hopeful that they will put in the effort and funds where needed to pull this off. I’m sure they’re looking for solutions and taking creative approaches. We hope a relief list is at least in place if the closure is permanent," she said. "We want to ensure that we are not an afterthought."