Allan Lewis

Family time takes the forefront

Originally from Ontario, Allan and Wivina Lewis have called Souris “home” since 1998.  Since moving here with their son and daughter they feel like they have found a special place for their family.  One of the most important aspects of living in Souris has been having the healthcare Allan needs available in his community.

Allan has myotonic muscular dystrophy, a disease that breaks down muscle in your body.  Around the age of 30 while still living in Ottawa, Allan felt that he was getting weaker and he knew something was wrong.  He had a gene test done and the results showed that he had muscular dystrophy.  Since his diagnosis the disease has progressed causing more health problems for Allan.

Allan makes frequent use of the various health services available at the Souris Hospital.  Five or six times a year he is admitted to the hospital for a week to take care of bowel obstructions, which are caused by his muscular dystrophy and make him very sick.  Every stay involves having blood work done and x-rays taken.  As the disease has progressed Allan’s hospital stays have become more frequent.  In the first two months of this year alone Allan had four hospital admissions to care for leg infections.  For Allan it is fortunate that the healthcare he needs is so close to home.  It makes it easy for his kids to visit him while he’s in the hospital.

For Allan and his family having the services he needs most right here in his community is vital.  Allan says, “It makes things easier all around to have the services here where I live rather than travelling”.  If he had to travel for the services he uses in Souris he says “it would be detrimental to my health”.  Having the care he needs so close means that appointments only need to take one hour out of their day, rather than three or four hours if he was to travel for healthcare further away.  The Eastern Kings Health Foundation funds medical equipment and provides the staff at the Souris Hospital with the resources they need to care for people like Allan every day.

The Board of Directors of the Eastern Kings Health Foundation extend their sympathies to the family of the late Allan Lewis. He and his family firmly believe in supporting quality health care close to home. His family have requested that donations in his memory be made to EKHF to support the purchase of the new x-ray machine.