Being able to walk, albeit with orthopedic braces, is not something Ross Wightman takes for granted. Read more: Alberta man says AstraZeneca shot led to serious health issue, wants federal compensation Wightman, 40, suffers from Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare condition that affects the nervous system.
A husband and father of two young boys, the Lake Country man said he was diagnosed with the disorder last spring, less than two weeks after receiving the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. “At that point, (the concern was around) blood clotting,” Wightman said, reflecting on when he took the vaccine. “But I figured it was best just to get it over with and move on with life, hopefully, and, you know, do the right thing.” Just days after getting the shot, he started to experience extreme back pain. “The pain got worse and worse,” Wightman said.
He was diagnosed with the disorder and spent the next 67 days in the hospital. Now, after nearly a year of paperwork and medical submissions, Wightman is one of only a handful of Canadians to have the illness validated as a vaccine-related injury by the federal government.
He’s now been approved for compensation from the Vaccine Injury Support Program. “I’d rather not be in that club, in a heartbeat,” he said. “It’s nice to have some recognition and there’s vindication.” The program was established more than a year ago to offer financial support to Canadians who have experienced a serious and permanent injury as a result of receiving an authorized vaccine from Health Canada.