Ex-Argo cheerleader’s coma a financial and medical crisis

[T-Bone]

https://twitter.com/shankell/status/238263144512888832

Ex-Argo cheerleader’s coma a financial and medical crisis (http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1244638--ex-argo-cheerleader-s-coma-a-financial-and-medical-crisis)

Please Help Us To Save ANNA LEIBENKO Life (http://help-anna-leibenko.org/)


Date of Birth – July, 31 / 1988
Immigrate to Canada - 1998
Graduate Newton Brook High School, then graduated in 2010 from Seneca college with a diploma in corporate and media production.


During the month of August Anna was traveling with a group of friends in Europe.

On August 17, 2012, she was on a board of “Adriatic Queen” catamaran in Croatian water. Unfourtantley, Anna accidentally slipped off of a 3 meters high catamaran and hit her head on the ledge and fell into the ocean. She went uncouncious instantly.

Anna was delivered in an unconscious state by the helicopter to the casualty department of the brain neurosurgery hospital in Split, Croatia.

Currently Anna is in a coma with internal brain bleeding and numerous head and face fractures.

She hooked up to a life support machine and is in critical condition.

Unfortunately, Anna didn’t have travel insurance and her family and friends do not have the financial capacity to cover the massive costs of treatment in Europe and transportation by Air Ambulance from Croatia to Toronto.

Anna must remain in the hospital for seven to ten days in a state of total tranquility in order not to develop any air pockets in the brain. After that, if her condition will improve, she has to be transferred to the department of Neurosurgery into Toronto hospital facilities.

The price for the Air Ambulance Worldwide is $ 93,550.00 USD, that must be paid as soon as possible to secure the transportation, without this Anna will not be able to travel back safely and it may cause her life.

The price for the treatment in Croatian hospital is not fixed yet.

PLEASE, HELP SAVE ANNA’S LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WITHOUT YOUR HELP SHE WILL NOT MAKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IMAGINE, THAT SHE IS YOUR SISTER, YOUR DAUGHTER, YOUR FRIEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM EACH OF US SHE WILL MAKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please find it in your heart to help save the life of a girl which just began.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to read this and for your generosity to help save the life of a young girl.

[1argoholic]

Perhaps Braley should be shown this. Holy crap this is horrible. Why travel with no insurance?

[T-Bone]

Why travel with no insurance?
I've traveled with out insurance before and many other people do it all the time. However this story shows why it's not worth taking a chance and I know I won't be doing that again. Either way I hope she recovers.

[matthew]

Certainly a terrible accident (and a case to always consider travel insurance) but I don't think Mr. Braley is 100% obligated to take any action on this.

That said, I have no doubt that the team will certainly make some sort of donation or host a fundraiser at a game in some capacity shortly.

Speedy recovery to her and best wishes for her familly.

[1argoholic]

I wouldn't expect that Mr Braley would feel obligated but you never know. It's part of the Argo family. I would hope that the team or cheer team sets something up for Monday. No one expects to go on a trip of a lifetime kind of adventure and have this happen. Her family must feel helpless. I have one of my dogs feeling under the weather and I'm bent out of shape.

[T-Bone]

I don't think Mr. Braley is 100% obligated to take any action on this.No he is not. It's up to each individual to decide if they want to donate or not.

[matthew]

Again, I get what this is about but if I was going on a months-long trip to europe, and recognizing that I may be visiting countries whose health infastructure is not as robust as ours, I'd be buying insurance. That's just me.

I am sure the team or at least the cheer team will get something going and everyone will help should they desire too. Don't be surprised if this happens as early as Monday's game. Happy to make a donation if the hat comes around.

[LLB997]

If there is some sort of donation box at the game i will certainly throw in a few bucks. If everyone at the game threw in the cost of 1 beer at the skydump , that would be a huge boost to relieve the costs. I hope she is ok.

[AngeloV]

If there is some sort of donation box at the game i will certainly throw in a few bucks. If everyone at the game threw in the cost of 1 beer at the skydump , that would be a huge boost to relieve the costs. I hope she is ok.

I agree. Hell, I throw 5 bucks at the 50/50 every game, knowing I will not win. This is a better cause.

[294life]

I see her pic on the 2008 and 2009 argo cheer calendars. didn't get her autograph though.

[1argoholic]

My wife remembers meeting her at Grey Cup 09 and we made a donation tonight. I hope she pulls through and this story hit a nerve with me. This could have been me. I got bit by some strange insect in The Dominican Republic back in the day and the viens on the bottom of my foot went Stampeder red. I was rushed from my boozey drinks to a messed up run down hell hole of a clinic where the Dr. and so called nurse where laughing and talking spanish while getting out the biggest needle I'd ever seen. They sucked out poison. I haven't traveled out of country much since.

[ticatfan]

My wife remembers meeting her at Grey Cup 09 and we made a donation tonight. I hope she pulls through and this story hit a nerve with me. This could have been me. I got bit by some strange insect in The Dominican Republic back in the day and the viens on the bottom of my foot went Stampeder red. I was rushed from my boozey drinks to a messed up run down hell hole of a clinic where the Dr. and so called nurse where laughing and talking spanish while getting out the biggest needle I'd ever seen. They sucked out poison. I haven't traveled out of country much since.

I have donated as well. Who else is in?

[D-Gap-Willie]

I have donated as well. Who else is in?

I'm in - glad to help - I can only think of my own 2 daughters of similar age back in Canada. I see almost $70,000 raised so far -- probably need at least twice that amount -- who else ?

[ArgoGabe22]

I think 100% of the proceeds from the cheerleader calender sold on Monday should be donated, or have the girls collect before the game. She's no longer a cheerleader but i think something should be done from the current squad.

[1argoholic]

I'm surprised that the Argo site has zero about this. I would expect more for someone who was part of the big picture. Even if it's just well wishes.

[LLB997]

Actually, this has made the news. The fact she is Croation is a good thing as the GTA Croat community is large and tight knit. I am pretty certain she will pull through without any financial burden at all. Just hope she makes a full 100% recovery

[KCargosfan]

I put in $10. I think she is actually Russian.

[1argoholic]

I remember doing work in a Croation area is Mississauga right across from that park were that head and body parts were found last week. It was very strange to have this pocket of homes and most were Croation. I remember they were very tight knit and one in particular was a royal nosey pain in my landscaping arse and the neighbour of the job I was doing. Only time I ever told someone to piss off and go home. haha.

[argolio]

Just make sure you never spell it that way in front of a CroatiAn person. ;)

[D-Gap-Willie]

Yes, I believe she was Russian - immigrated to Canada in 1998. She was vacationing in Croatia !

[LLB997]

Just make sure you never spell it that way in front of a CroatiAn person. ;)


Tell them not to complain. I couldve called them Yugoslavs. XD

[Hollaway]

Really sad, I hope she pulls through.

[1argoholic]

Oh well were she's from means nothing now. We just want her back in TO and healthy.

[LLB997]

i am hoping the cheerteam set something up at the dome concourse. i'll keep an open for it.

[DanTheFan]

Wow they reached their goal quickly!! :)

[matthew]

Finding that sort of odd myself. And have the admirals been on the case too?

[T-Bone]

Injured, stranded GTA woman returning end of week (http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/local/article/222008--injured-stranded-gta-woman-returning-end-of-week)


The family of a former Toronto Argonauts cheerleader says the injured woman will be flown back to Toronto around midnight Friday.

Anna Leibenko, 24, of Thornhill, was travelling with some friends in Europe last month when she slipped off a catamaran, hitting her head and falling into the ocean. She was airlifted to a hospital in Split, Croatia, where she remains in a coma.

Friends and family said Leibenko didn’t buy travel insurance and they didn’t have the money to cover the high cost of bringing her back to a Toronto hospital. So they started a website to raise the $93,550 needed for a medical evacuation. So far, the website has raised nearly $133,000.

“We are in the process of bringing Anna home,” the website says. “We thank everyone for the support. God bless all of you!”

The head of Angels of Flight Canada Inc., the Peterborough company that’s co-ordinating Leibenko's medical evacuation from Croatia, said Leibenko is expected to arrive at Pearson just after midnight on Friday.

President Gail Courneyea says Leibenko's mother and a medical team of three, including a doctor, nurse and respiratory therapist, will be accompanying her in a small Learjet back to Toronto.

Leibenko will be taken to the ICU unit at Sunnybrook hospital, Courneyea said.

[1argoholic]

Man I hope she improves. Good news to hear.

[jerrym]

Anna Leibenko was airlifted back to Canada yesterday. She had been in a Croatian hospital for two weeks after her fall from a catamaran resulted in bleeding in the brain, as well as head and face fractures. She is still on life support.
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/09/01/anna-leibenko-returns-to-_n_1849405.html

"According to a website set up to raise money to fly Leibenko home, she did not have travel insurance.
The site had raised $140,000 as of Saturday morning."