Rob Allison says his wife’s final weeks were filled with confusion, anxiety, fear and chaos. He’s calling on Saskatchewan’s health minister to hear first-hand how the health care system allegedly failed his wife as she received end of life care.

“It was a nightmare,” Allison said. “Waiting seven hours, in excruciating pain at the urgent care centre.”

Allison’s wife Lisa died in April, just 82 days after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. Allison and his son were invited to the legislative building on Friday to share their experiences about the current state of Saskatchewan health care.

“The pain and trauma I witnessed with our health care system has traumatized me for life,” Allison’s son, Jay, said at the news conference.

Allison says health care workers are doing their best but are overextended and understaffed. He identified a series of failures in the system – including being asked to come to the hospital to administer medication for his wife.

“Having nurses call me at home asking me to come to the hospital to administer her medication, including a dreadful call at 6:40 a.m. thinking that Lisa had already passed away,” he recounted. “Emergency trips to the Pasqua Hospital, leaving her in a hallway with loss of vision and loss of hearing due to radiation.”

The news conference was organized by Saskatchewan NDP MLA Jared Clarke, who worked alongside Lisa as a teacher at a Regina school.

“The level of care and attention that the Allison family received during this difficult period is, frankly, shocking,” Clarke said. “It doesn’t meet the standard that Saskatchewan residents expect and deserve when it comes to healthcare in this province.”

Clarke has written to minister of health Jeremy Cockrill twice in recent months on Allison’s behalf, requesting a meeting — but so far, the minister has not responded.

In a written statement, the government said it takes situations like Allison’s very seriously as it continues to “listen, learn and strengthen” the province’s health care system.