Debbie’s Law: Family pushes for transparency in Manitoba’s healthcare system after mother’s death

A Manitoba family wants the province’s healthcare system to be honest with families about surgery delays—something they believe could have saved their mother’s life.

Daniel Fewster and his family are lobbying for the creation of “Debbie’s Law” after his mother, Debbie, passed away in 2024 while waiting for life-saving heart surgery.

The family is advocating for greater transparency in Manitoba’s healthcare system to ensure patients and families are informed if critical surgeries cannot be performed within recommended timelines.

Daniel says the family would have sought alternatives to getting his mother the surgery in other jurisdictions if they had been properly informed that it would not happen soon enough in Manitoba.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/RnSfEb9YaTk

Debbie was deeply involved in her family’s life and her community. She worked with Samaritan’s Purse, assisting in disaster relief efforts across Canada, including wildfires in British Columbia and hurricane damage in the east. “She was an absolutely phenomenal mom and a fairy-tale grandmother,” Fewster said. “She loved to serve, loved the outdoors, and was a dedicated community member.”

Debbie began experiencing symptoms of angina in the spring of 2024, initially mistaking them for heartburn. By July, her doctor recognized the urgency and fast-tracked her to a cardiac specialist. After failing a stress test in early August, she was told to prepare for immediate surgery. An echocardiogram later revealed she needed a triple bypass.

Despite the initial urgency, the process slowed. A pre-op nurse informed Debbie on September 4 that her surgery, originally scheduled for that month, had been pushed to October due to summer staffing shortages.

Then, silence.

“There was no contact—no updates from her doctor, the specialist, or St. Boniface Hospital,” Fewster said. On October 13, 2024, Debbie passed away, still waiting for her surgery.

Fewster says his mother’s case highlights failures in the healthcare system. “She went from hiking two hours a day in April to barely walking 100 metres by August,” he said. “Manitoba’s website listed urgent surgery wait times at 10 to 12 days. My mom waited over 60.”

He believes that if his family had been informed of the delays, they would have explored alternatives, including private healthcare or out-of-province options. “We trusted the system to take care of her, and we didn’t know we had to push. If we had known, we would have pulled every string to get her the care she needed.”

Fewster and his family are now advocating for Debbie’s Law, which would require the healthcare system to notify patients if life-saving surgery cannot be performed within medically recommended timeframes.

“This wasn’t long ago. This is my mom, my kids’ grandma. My kids still cry themselves to sleep once a week thinking about her,” Fewster said. “We’re grateful for the attention on this issue, but this is about ensuring no other family goes through what we did.”

The family is actively engaging with policymakers and the public to push for legislative change. “People deserve transparency. If the system can’t provide care in time, families should be told so they can make informed decisions. That’s what Debbie’s Law is about.”

The family is hoping that members of the public will write their MLAs and the Health Minister to help get traction with the proposed law.