Desperate to walk again, this 25-year-old Ontario woman is ready to pay $40K for U.S. spinal assessment

A young woman from London, Ontario, is facing a difficult and frustrating situation after waiting almost two years for a diagnosis from a spine surgeon following a car accident. Sydney Gesualdi, 25, was rear-ended at a red light in July 2023 and initially diagnosed with whiplash and tissue damage. However, her condition quickly deteriorated, leaving her unable to walk, experiencing difficulty swallowing and speaking, and suffering from numbness in her face and limbs.

Despite being referred to eight different spinal clinics across the province by her family physician, Gesualdi has been denied consultations by hospitals such as Toronto Western Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre, and Trillium Spine Centre. Reasons cited for the rejections include long wait times, heavy caseloads, and the condition potentially being outside the scope of practice.

Gesualdi, who now relies on a wheelchair and neck brace, feels frustrated and in pain as she waits for answers. Desperate for a diagnosis and treatment plan, she has decided to pay $40,000 to travel to New York to see a spinal surgeon for testing. Unfortunately, the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) would only cover the cost if she has an “out of country” application signed by a Canadian doctor stating the procedure is medically necessary, not available in Ontario, and not experimental.

Dr. Hamilton Hall, an orthopedic spine surgeon and executive director of the Canadian Spine Society, acknowledges the devastating problem of lengthy wait lists for spinal assessment and care. While urgent cases are prioritized, chronic conditions like Gesualdi’s can face significant delays in receiving treatment. Hall emphasizes the need for a co-ordinated effort to improve the system, as simply training more surgeons won’t solve the issue due to the costly hospital resources required for spinal operations.

Gesualdi’s life has been drastically altered by her condition, as she struggles to leave her house except for medical appointments. The emotional toll of missing out on normal life experiences and milestones has been immense for her and her family. Despite the challenges she faces, Gesualdi remains determined to seek the answers and treatment she needs to regain some sense of normalcy in her life.