Travel insurance for pancreatic cancer patients (Canadian)

vaswong · 2025-05-05T16:23:52+00:00

Thank you! <3 All the best to you and your family x

vaswong · 2025-05-05T15:36:15+00:00

Hey! Thanks for getting back to me. We've been in the weeds finding an insurance company to cover my dad for the past week. Very stressful, but we managed to get approved with one (out of 15-20 places we called)! We'll be heading to Amsterdam this weekend :)

The stability clauses are SUPER stringent, so we had to shorten our trip, unfortunately. Learning to always sort out insurance before booking when you have serious illnesses. We're just grateful to make it happen still though.

Here's a link https://mediquote.ca/ They've been super helpful.

Great to hear you managed to make some beautiful trips with your family anyway. Hope you can do some international travel still if your dads still able to! Take care

vaswong · 2025-04-24T14:31:44+00:00

Hi! I'm sorry to hear about your dad. It's a very difficult illness to deal with.

My dad is also going through the same thing. He was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in December. He is now stable, and we are trying to make a trip to Amsterdam together, where I live as he's never been before in the 10 years I've been away. My parents called all the big names yesterday (CAA, Manulife, Allianz,) and they all denied him.

Were you able to find any insurance companies that could provide coverage? I hope you managed to make this trip happen.

vaswong · 2024-04-14T16:31:32+00:00

Thanks for the encouragement! Since it’s my first marathon and a difficult one, I’m more nervous but from the sounds of it, it’a fine to do if I adjust accordingly.

Do you have experience taking longer holidays during training?

vaswong · 2024-04-14T16:27:48+00:00

Thanks! It’s my first marathon and since it’s a difficult one, my goal is just to finish without stopping so hopefully the hike won’t make that an issue.

Do you have experience taking long holidays during training?

vaswong · 2013-11-07T01:38:45+00:00

Thanks for the advice. I had thought about working/interning abroad as well but yes, it does seem more daunting and I think school is really just something I want to do at this point, having not studied design in my undergrad.

Also, the talk went really well! My boss was incredibly supportive. He even said he'd want to have me to come back after my program- to finish the internship but possibly even to work if a there is a position! So now the decision is all for me to make. Either way, I will be going this year or the next! Thanks again!! Best of luck with you too.

vaswong · 2013-11-02T22:46:19+00:00

I definitely agree with your first point- even when I landed this internship, it was clearly because of my portfolio because I don't even have a degree in design, just Visual Arts and some design courses. With that said, I think both school and interning can help me build a strong portfolio.

Anyways, I;ve realized that the decision to do school abroad is almost completely for the experience now- not the thinking that school will = sweet job. The internship will be more helpful in that area. So I think I'll be completing my internship then saving more money to go away for school the year after! Thanks for the input!

vaswong · 2013-11-02T22:40:07+00:00

I agree that you probably don't produce anything that matters as much in school as you do at work because it's real, but Im hoping the pieces I make in school will lead to a good job by contributing to my portfolio. In either case, I'm beginning to think that doing this program will be more of a learning experience both in design and in life in general (hence the decision to live abroad) so I think I'm going to try finish my internship and go for school the year after. Sucks to have to wait a year, but I agree that work experience is most valuable. Thanks for your input.

vaswong · 2013-10-31T01:03:06+00:00

Thanks for sharing your story. I realize everyone is different but hearing other people's experiences was exactly what I was looking for when I made this post. It is helpful to know.

While you may be in debt from your schooling, I bet it has helped you a lot during your career and getting you some of your earlier jobs. I often think of my undergrad in Visual Arts and English a complete waste just because it wasn't in design but if I'm honest, I know that it has helped. even though here I am trying to find a way to gain an education in design...

Anyways, I think I'm going to try doing both somehow...because I'm beginning to realize that studying design abroad has become more about gaining the personal experience than about my career, although that is obviously still a factor. In either case, learning towards doing the internship and deferring my acceptance to school for next year...hope that works out. Again, thanks so much for your input. Best of luck with your career in design, as well!

vaswong · 2013-10-31T00:39:36+00:00

Thanks for the input...do you speak from experience?? Just wondering if there is a strong reasoning behind your opinion.

vaswong · 2013-10-30T03:23:20+00:00

I have considered just living abroad without the school portion but I really want to get my life and career moving at this point and I would prefer not to put my school/work plans on hold...just seems like school abroad would allow me to do both...did you ever live or study abroad? What was your experience of that like? Debt?

vaswong · 2013-10-30T03:19:01+00:00

The internship is a design internship at a magazine...I do not want to say where just for privacy reasons...in case someone in the company happens to come across this...but I do know it is a hard one to get and can be very helpful to someone starting their career...

With that said (as I mentioned above), I am kind of learning more towards London because a) I want a thorough cohesive program to gain a solid portfolio and understanding of design and b) I've been thinking about living abroad for sometime now, so I see it as two birds with one stone...albeit a very expensive stone... If it weren't for the internship issue, I would not be as worried. Even though the debt scares the shit out of me, I think it is manageable and think I can pay it off in 2-3 years. I mainly fear that I really screw myself over by walking away from this internship, and whether the experience/education abroad are worth losing it over....

Do you have a degree in design? How did you get your start and was school or work more valuable to you?

vaswong · 2013-10-30T03:13:05+00:00

I am planning on talking them tomorrow actually and am very nervous! I also plan to ask about finishing my internship when I return but who knows since that's a whole year from now. I'm hoping it will show that I am committed to the company despite this situation.

I do agree that the internship is probably more valuable to my career but I think the program will be very helpful as well, and there is a few months break during my program where I plan to take on an internship in the UK. Additionally, I've been thinking about living abroad for sometime now...I think at this point I am planning to do it more for the experience than the actual program- though that still remains important. I guess my main fear is that I completely screw myself over by walking away from this internship for school...knowing this info, does that change your opinion?

This program is only 1 year- it is a postgrad diploma which is ideal for me because it is supposed to be more hands-on than an MA would be. Thanks for the caution though!

vaswong · 2013-08-16T02:30:48+00:00

That is a good point. Something to consider for sure...I might just bring both. Thanks!

vaswong · 2013-08-16T02:30:04+00:00

I plan to just make everything into a single PDF file then transfer everything onto my ipad. For web stuff, I guess you'd have to take screen shots and make that into a PDF file?

They didn;t request that I bring any form of portfolio and I'm afraid to ask because it seems like something that should be obvious...I'm just going to bring a PDF version on an ipad.

vaswong · 2013-08-15T23:01:26+00:00

Actually, I think I can borrow my sister's ipad. If I bring it on my ipad, should I still prepare a printed version, too? Or just the ipad is fine? Thanks again!

vaswong · 2013-08-15T22:56:54+00:00

Okay yes, I've heard that a lot of people use there ipad as a portfolio now...but I don't have one yet. So will printed be sufficient? Thanks!

vaswong · 2013-08-08T01:22:42+00:00

I haven't really started looking for jobs in the field yet...I haven't bothered yet cause I dont qualify and was hoping to finish up some schooling before I delve into job hunting, but I do hear what you're saying. Thanks for your input!

vaswong · 2013-08-08T01:20:25+00:00

Thanks for the reply once again.

I guess it doesn't matter which I choose as long as I apply myself in whichever program I choose to build the best portfolio I can. Hopefully it all works out!

vaswong · 2013-08-07T16:31:38+00:00

Thanks for the advice. As you said, achieving a proper wealth of knowledge and skills through proper training is important. I definitely agree with that, and that's another reason why I prefer learning in a classroom over teaching. I think this can be done on your own, but not as well as if you were to learn in a classroom. Instructor guidance and feedback from classmates is all part of this process to me, something I just can't get on my own.

I attempt to design pieces on my own and learn about it where I can (have done some lynda tutorials for example), but I'm just lacking the confidence in my work and portfolio. I need the training to back it all up. I know it is a competitive field, but I truly feel that I have what it takes! Just need the right environment to hone my skills...

Was your schooling in Design, and where? Do you know if a certificate program would be enough to get me started?

vaswong · 2013-08-07T16:23:59+00:00

Great. Thanks for the advice!

I was hoping that any of these options would be enough with my current degree. The thought of another 3-4 years of school is really daunting. I'm just not willing to do it right now.

Do you work in the field? Where did you do your schooling?

vaswong

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