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All photos : Erin WAllAcE photogrAphy
How critical illness insurance helped one AMA member manage the financial strain of medical hardship
By rOBin ScHrOFFEl
Erin WallacE nEvEr imaginEd she ’ d have to freeze her embryos . Both she and her husband , Ryan Fairweather , were young and healthy ; they were planning to start a family . But in January 2014 , at age 30 , Erin was diagnosed with Hodgkin ’ s lymphoma , a cancer of the lymphatic system . The Calgary couple ’ s focus switched immediately to cancer treatment .
That treatment involved chemotherapy , which had the potential to negatively affect Erin ’ s fertility . After a consultation at the Regional Fertility Program in Calgary , the couple decided they wanted to guard against that risk . But the price tag for in vitro fertilization ( IVF ) was hefty : $ 10,000 .
As self-employed artists — a photographer and a glass blower , respectively — Erin and Ryan didn ’ t have that kind of savings . Thankfully , they had purchased critical illness insurance from AMA a few years earlier , after a house fire disrupted their lives but made them determined to prepare for future challenges . They were able to claim on the policy 30 days after Erin ’ s initial diagnosis , and soon had a cheque for $ 100,000 from Manulife Financial in their hands . The payout meant they could afford the upfront costs of IVF ; »
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