Assistance in Recovery from Long Covid
Donation protected
I’m Jonah McGarva and I live outside of Vancouver, BC, Canada.
I got sick with presumptive COVID-19 as of March 8th 2020 and have been off work for over a year. I am now in my 13th month of dealing with Long Covid and sadly because there is no official treatment in Canada, I have to seek some treatment via alternative therapies which are not covered by medical, as well as specific tests which are also not covered.
I also suffer daily from massive exhaustion, brain fog, coughing fits, shortness of breath, GI issues, random pain, desperation and even PTSD from all the trauma I have endured over the past year. This has left me pretty much bedridden for many months.
Since getting sick, I’ve made national news many times with my story and have since become an international advocate working with others around the world to find solutions to the problems that Long Haulers face. I also currently administer one of Canada’s well known resource and support groups for those with Long Covid while working behind the scenes with many researchers, politicians and advocates.
Sadly - I am now on long term medical leave from work with no prognosis of when I am able to resume work of any kind. I have also been without any financial support since early January when my EI Sickness ran out. I also do not qualify for disability nor social assistance and I have no assets left to sell.
Since I am now in this dreadful predicament, I am left with no way to provide for myself for the foreseeable future. My loving and supportive wife works currently but is struggling to support both me and our lovely cat Marmalade, who is also going through cancer treatment.
Unfortunalety this financial burden has caused me only more added anxiety to my recovery and his stress has made me lose focus of the advocacy work I have fought to so hard to accomplish.
I am not one to ask for help financially from friends, family or strangers - but at this point this is my only hope to help right a sinking ship. Or at least one that is caught sideways in a canal. :-)
My wife Amanda, Marmalade and myself can’t thank you enough in advance for any help you may be able to provide.
My Media Links:
CTV National News
CBC Web Article
W5 Season Premiere
Covid Corner
Organizer
Jonah McGarva
Organizer
Burnaby, BC