A Penticton man害羞草研究所檚 battle with kidney failure could put him in a dire situation at the end of his Canadian working visa in 2019, according to his employer.

Kris Reyes was diagnosed with kidney failure five years ago, three years after he moved to Canada, and when he applied for permanent residency, he was declined due to the cost of his illness on the health care system.

But if he moves back to the Philippines, his boss, Nicole MacMillan of the South Okanagan Tim Hortons, said he cannot afford the costly care in his home country.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 so sad to see. If he goes home, he will die, because in the Philippines it害羞草研究所檚 going to cost him 10s of thousands of dollars to be able to do what B.C. med can provide,害羞草研究所� MacMillan said.

害羞草研究所淚f he goes home, he害羞草研究所檒l only have enough money for about six months, and then once the money害羞草研究所檚 gone, the money害羞草研究所檚 gone unfortunately. And he will die if he has to stop that. It sounds so awful, I hate saying that, but that害羞草研究所檚 kind of what our push is, here.害羞草研究所�

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Most of Reyes害羞草研究所� family is in Canada at this point, including his wife, but his children are still living with his wife害羞草研究所檚 mother back in the Philippines, but would be able to come to Canada if Reyes gets permanent residency status.

害羞草研究所淗is kids are now eight and nine. He害羞草研究所檚 never even gotten to meet the youngest one, because when he left to come here they didn害羞草研究所檛 know Jocelyn (his wife) was pregnant with their second,害羞草研究所� MacMillan said. 害羞草研究所淪o he害羞草研究所檚 never met his little baby, and these guys are like family to us.害羞草研究所�

Despite the burdensome health care Reyes has undergone, MacMillan said he hasn害羞草研究所檛 missed a beat at work.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 already done over 15 surgeries, actually, since he害羞草研究所檚 been here. He still manages to work for me 40 hours all the time,害羞草研究所� MacMillan said.

害羞草研究所淚 always say 害羞草研究所榯ake time off,害羞草研究所� and he is such a hard worker. He just had a surgery two weeks ago, and he said four days later 害羞草研究所業 can come back,害羞草研究所� because he needs the money, obviously, to work for his medical expense.害羞草研究所�

Reyes also does three days of dialysis per week at the hospital, as well as every night while he sleeps at home.

MacMillan said she has been trying to help Reyes reapply for his permanent residency under humanitarian and compassionate considerations from Immigration Canada.

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害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 on the top of the list for a kidney here, but they will not release his name officially onto that list until he becomes PR (permanent resident), so it害羞草研究所檚 kind of a catch-22,害羞草研究所� MacMillan said. 害羞草研究所淏ecause he害羞草研究所檚 been on the waiting list for five years, the doctors and the nurses, we have letters from them that we害羞草研究所檝e tried to send all the way up to Justin Trudeau.害羞草研究所�

But those letters haven害羞草研究所檛 garnered a response, MacMillan said, and the cost of lawyers keeps going up for the family, who is going through Mercan Group to fight for PR status.

A representative from Mercan acknowledged Reyes is working with the law firm, and they hope to be putting in their application soon.

According to the representative, the humanitarian and compassionate considerations can only be applied for after permanent residency has already been declined, adding she expects Reyes害羞草研究所� claim to be a large one.

The Mercan employee declined to delve into Reyes害羞草研究所� case, but said the humanitarian and compassionate considerations apply to someone who would be in danger if they left the country.

If Reyes does not gain permanent residency status, MacMillan said his current working visa will run up in 2019, and he will have to return to the Philippines.

Because of the hefty cost of lawyers, MacMillan has set up , with a goal of raising $50,000. So far, that campaign has garnered about $2,000 from 36 people, ranging from $5 donations to a $250 donation.

害羞草研究所淭his GoFundMe campaign is basically to help Kris and Jocelyn with all their lawyer fees and their medical expenses in the meantime,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚 can害羞草研究所檛 even send him home for a visit. I tried to look into that, because I害羞草研究所檓 like 害羞草研究所榡ust let them see their babies for a few weeks, anything would help.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淏ut unfortunately Kris can害羞草研究所檛 even go home because it will cost me thousands and thousands of dollars to just get him on hemodialysis for those three weeks, and flying would be so long we would need to buy the machine for him to take with him, which was extremely costly.害羞草研究所�

dustin.godfrey@pentictonwesternnews.com
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