Kerian's Fight with Cancer

Kerian Burnett came to Canada from Jamaica in April 2022. She was a Farm Worker on a strawberry farm in Nova Scotia, brought here as the result of an agreement Canada has with Jamaica to provide labourers for Canadian farms.

Two months after her arrival, Kerian fell sick and was unable to work. She was diagnosed with cancer which required two different surgeries and ongoing treatment.

For Kerian and thousands of agricultural workers like her, her housing, income, immigration status and health coverage depends on her having a job.

Because of her sickness, her job ended. So too did her housing, her income, and her health insurance. The place she is staying now has given her two weeks. Then she doesn't know where she will live. Kerian is still in Canada legally and is under the care of a doctor who is determined to save her life. None of the supports that might be available to Canadians (EI, Disability, Income Assistance) are available to Kerian.

Fighting cancer is a big enough fight.

Kerian is fighting this war on multiple fronts. She shouldn't have to worry about not having a place to stay, how to feed herself, how to travel to and from treatment, how to pay for prescriptions.

Kerian has been let down by a system that should have protected her and provided for her in her darkest moments. But we can step in and fight alongside her by helping her meet her basic needs over these next months.

Please support Kerian to find a stable place to live, money for food and transportation, and prescription medication as she battles for her life.