Quebec cancer patient's fight to save home shows how costly a diagnosis can be
CBC
Bianca Buitrago-Poulin is celebrating her successful massage studio's one-year anniversary on Montreal's South Shore this month.
But it hasn't been easy.
It's a business she started out of necessity — a last-ditch effort to save her family home, continue caring for her mother and stay financially viable while battling a debilitating condition that derailed her life and career.
The 34-year-old was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia two years ago, but her illness had been affecting her long before that. After more than a decade of working in geriatric care, symptoms like fatigue, dizziness and muscle pain were making it hard to hold down a job.
But she pushed on. Together with her boyfriend, they took out a loan to repair the historic home her grandfather bought decades ago on Gardenville Street in Longueuil, Que. Built in 1900, it needed a lot of work.
Then her relationship ended.
While dealing with heartbreak, she soon after received even worse news — cancer.
"When chemo started, it just got even worse," said Buitrago-Poulin, recalling her depleted immune system, sudden food allergies, hair loss and hypersensitivity to light. She still has fainting spells, weakness, anemia and dietary restrictions.
She could no longer work with seniors, but her sick-leave coverage ran out after six months. She wanted to be deemed partially disabled, but because she may eventually recover, her claim was rejected.
"The chemo treatments are a minimum of three years," said Buitrago-Poulin, but it could last much longer.
"I might have to be on chemo all of my life. I cannot go under the sun. I am going to have more and more problems related to being on chemo for such a long time."
She raised a few thousand dollars through an online campaign, but it wasn't nearly enough. And with her ex only able to pay his half of the loan in the short term, she needed a long-term solution so she could keep her home and continue caring for her mother.
That's when she realized she could stay in caregiving — something she is passionate about — and do it from home by opening a massage studio. Renting space to colleagues would allow her to work fewer hours in a low-light, low-stress environment.
So she got training, and Crystal Lotus Massage was born.
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