Sydney Needs your help
Our dear daughter Sydney Is Running Out of Time — Her Life-Saving Surgery Isn’t Available in Canada
Sydney's condition is supported by her doctors , her Elected Member in Ontario, multiple media stories, all fully documented below. At only 27, Sydney has lost her independence, her health, her dignity, and her future to a severe neurological condition due to spinal cord compression. After trying every option, every specialist, every treatment, her doctor says her only chance is surgery in the United States. As a family we have no choices left, we have exhausted every option available here in Canada. Please kindly consider a gift to help save Sydney’s life. Every donation helps, whether $20, $50, $100, it all helps. On July 21, 2023, Sydney’s life changed forever. She was stopped at a red light when her car was violently rear-ended by a driver who had fallen asleep at the wheel. In seconds, her life was utterly destroyed. What was first diagnosed as a concussion quickly became a devastating, progressive neurological condition that has taken away her health, independence, dignity as a young woman, and daily functioning.
From a Full Life to Complete Dependence
Before the accident, Sydney was a healthy, active 24-year-old building a successful eyelash business, exercising regularly, traveling, hiking, and living independently. Today, at 27, she is largely bed bound, rarely ever leaving the home except for doctors appointments. She now completely relies on a cane, a wheelchair, a walker, and constant support from us, her family. She is unable to work, drive, cook, or manage basic daily tasks independently. Even simple movements such as standing, brushing her hair, or attempting to walk a few steps can trigger fainting, severe dizziness, or dangerous spikes in heart rate.
She now lives with over 30 severe symptoms, including:
Chronic migraines
Fainting and near-fainting episodes
Severe dizziness and balance dysfunction
Cognitive impairment and visual disturbances
Difficulty breathing and swallowing
Extreme fatigue and autonomic dysfunction (POTS) A Complex and Overlooked Condition Affecting her heart.
Every minute of every day, Sydney suffers in unspeakable ways. For Sydney it never ends, never goes away.
After months of rapid decline, and no answers in Canada, Sydney independently identified a rare condition called Cranio-cervical Instability (CCI)—where the skull and upper spine are unstable, putting pressure on the brainstem and affecting blood flow to and from the brain. Although the Ministry of Health will tell us differently, this condition is not widely recognized or treated within the Canadian healthcare system, and there are currently no Canadian neurosurgeons performing the required surgery.
HELP GET SYDNEY TO SURGERY
I’m Sydney’s Dad Joe, join me as I push Sydney’s wheelchair through these towns on these dates to help raise enough money to get her life saving neck surgery in NYC after being injured in a rear end collision in 2023.
Ask anyone in Canada that suffers from CCI, do a Facebook search, see for yourself how many Canadians suffer without access to treatment.
Sydney underwent specialized testing in May 2025 in New York City and was formally diagnosed and approved for surgery. Her surgeon currently waits for her. Her condition is also validated with a Canadian neurosurgeon support letter confirming her diagnosis and medical findings, strengthening her case for treatment, yet still being denied for OHIP Out of Country Funding. Her care is further supported by her Provincial MPP, a Canadian neurosurgeon, and not one, but two international neurosurgeons. Sydney is currently represented by Cambridge LLP, a widely respected law firm, who are currently appealing her OHIP Out-of-Country (OOC) application.
A successful appeal would be precedent-setting and could change access to care in Canadian medicine for future patients. Dr. Bolognese, a world-leading pioneer in cranial-cervical fusion surgery, completed Sydney’s pre-operative procedure last May, and has accepted her as a patient as soon as she is able to travel. Many of his patients have gone on to live normal lives. See the media statements from survivors below given during our lobbying day at Queen's Park April 1st, 2026. These survivors voluntarily joined Sydney, joined by her MPP, to support her effort to access care. Please see the video below. Sydney’s medical journey is also expected to contribute valuable clinical data that may help many other patients diagnosed with CCI in the future.
Immediate Care Available in the United States (Not Canada)
Sydney’s only viable treatment option is in the United States. Immediate surgical care is available at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, where she has been assessed by specialists familiar with her condition. Her pre-operative invasive cervical traction procedure was completed in New York under Dr. Bolognese, further confirming surgical candidacy. This level of urgent neurosurgical intervention is not available in Canada, where she has been repeatedly told there are no appropriate specialists or surgical pathways for her diagnosis.
No Options Left in Canada
• 12 neurosurgeons in Ontario declined her case
• No Canadian surgeons currently perform this surgery
• Her application for out-of-country funding through OHIP was denied after months of review
Despite exhaustive efforts, there are no remaining treatment options within Canada.
The Cost of Treatment
The total cost of Sydney’s life-saving care is: $365,703 USD ($493,700 CAD)
Breakdown:
• Diagnostic testing (ICP/ICT): $25,000 USD ($33,750 CAD)
• Cranio-cervical fusion surgery: $261,005 USD ($352,357 CAD)
• ICU recovery & post-operative care: $42,662 USD ($57,593 CAD)
• Initial testing in New York (April 2024): $37,037 USD ($50,000 CAD)
Sydney's neurosurgeon agrees this treatment is not elective—it is her only path to stabilization and survival.
Sydney’s Advocacy and Fight for Other Canadians
Despite her severe disability, Sydney has become a determined advocate for patients facing the same barriers. Her advocacy includes:
• Filing a formal Human Rights Complaint for lack of access to care
• Appealing her OHIP out-of-country funding denial (supported by Cambridge LLP)
• Being featured in national media, including a TVO podcast and CBC News article
• Having her case raised multiple times in the Ontario Legislature by MPP Teresa Armstrong
• Participating in a Queen’s Park CCI/EDS Lobby Day and press conference
• Filing complaints with the Ontario Ombudsman and Patient Ombudsman
• Developing a detailed guide to help other patients navigate the system
Media and public documentation:
Watch Sydney’s story and see why this life-saving surgery is so urgent. Start Here – Sydney’s Story in Her Own Words Sydney’s Speech – Lobbying Day (April 1, 2026):
A powerful firsthand account of Sydney’s fight for access to life-saving care
Frontline Advocacy – The Reality of Her Fight Sydney’s Press Conference – Queen’s Park:
Sydney speaks publicly about her condition and the urgent need for treatment.
Joe’s Press Conference – Queen’s Park:
A father’s perspective on the devastating impact and the fight to save his daughter.
National Media Coverage - CBC News Article:
National coverage of Sydney’s case and the barriers to care in Canada.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/ontario-woman-seeking-spine-care-1.7512862
TVO Ontario / MIS Treated Podcast - (YouTube):
In-depth interview highlighting gaps in the healthcare system and Sydney’s journey.
Government Recognition – Ontario Legislature April 1, 2026:
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1UWN8bnPhW/
March 31, 2026: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1AXNJeLKai/
November 3, 2025: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1Jb7kfWQjx/
April 29, 2025: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BDRGgnjWz/
Every view, share, and donation truly makes a difference—thank you for helping Sydney get the care she urgently needs.
Supported by Patients Canada - Sydney’s case is also supported by a registered Canadian charity:
Patients Canada - https://patientscanada.org
How You Can Help Sydney has exhausted all available medical options in Canada. This surgery is her only chance at stability, reduced suffering, and any possibility of recovery.
Every donation—no matter the amount—brings her closer to life-saving treatment. If you cannot donate, sharing her story makes a real difference.
From Our Family : we are deeply grateful for every message, every share, and every donation, no matter how small.
Thank you for standing with Sydney during this critical time. ❤️