Life in Canada still tough for Syrian sisters

For two Syrian sisters in Burnaby who are largely immobile from the neck down, life has become somewhat easier in recent weeks, but their biggest concerns — housing, relatives in danger overseas, whether there is a cure for their condition — continue to weigh heavily on their minds. 

Postmedia News brought readers the story of Hoda and Maha Al-Sidawi in late June. At the time, the medical personnel assisting them were unable to get the mobility equipment they needed through the Interim Federal Health Program, which provides medical coverage for refugees, in a timely manner.

Two weeks ago, in mid-August, the sisters received motorized wheelchairs. This is significant because they no longer need people to push them everywhere, said Maha, 23, adding that she finds the chair easy to use and got used to it quickly. They attend two sets of English classes in Vancouver and Burnaby. Over the weekend an occupational therapist visited, making adjustments to the wheelchairs and bringing a floor overlay the sisters said would be more comfortable than sitting on carpet for hours at a time. 

But for their mother, Fayza, and other family members — they have an adult sister and two brothers — it is difficult because the sisters require help with every movement. Their bathroom is not accessible. To shower, they commute by HandyDart from the Lougheed area to the Edmonds community centre because it is the only accessible, publicly-available shower they know of.  

The Immigrant Services Society of B.C., which placed the family in the apartment, showed them other, more accessible places, including another apartment in the same building with a walk-in shower, but Fayza said it was not suitable because it was designed for people to stand rather than sit.

Fayza says she hopes to find government housing that is accessible and more affordable. The six family members collectively receive about $4,000 per month from the federal government, and their rent for a three-bedroom apartment is $2,400 per month. This leaves roughly $1,600 for food, utilities, transportation and laundry, which Maha says they sometimes skimp on to save money.

Hoda Al-Sidawi and her sister Maha have received motorized wheelchairs, but are still facing significant challenges. 

Postmedia News requested comment from BC Housing, but received no response by deadline. 

Never far from Fayza’s mind is her other daughter and two grandchildren, who are in a refugee camp in Jordan. They are malnourished, she said, and her daughter often gets dizzy. The tiny, metal structure they stay in does not have a door that locks and the family fears for their safety. The family hopes a community group will step forward to sponsor them.

Her sister’s husband is one of many people they knew who were imprisoned in Syria and never came out, Maha said, turning to a page in her sketchbook with a black ink drawing of an open bird cage with the wires turning into silhouetted birds in mid-flight. 

“It’s about freedom,” she said of the drawing. On another page is a map of a torn-up Syria with a weeping eye in the middle of it.

Hoda, 24, said she would like to be more independent. The sisters have been for many tests, but no one has been able to tell them if their neurological condition is treatable. 

“Maybe it’s a genetic problem and maybe it can be treated. We don’t know,” she said through a translator. “(But despite) all this, we’re very optimistic about life. We are … hoping there must be medical help for us.” 

tacarman@postmedia.com
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