Man offers to aid homeless cancer victim

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Entertainment/offers+homeless+cancer+victim/1076301/story.html

Marjorie Quewezance breaks down in tears Sunday while talking to Jeff Cliff
Photograph by : Gord Waldner, The StarPhoenix
A Saskatoon man is pledging $1,000 to help pay the rent of a homeless woman with terminal breast cancer, and he is hoping others will follow suit.
In an intensely emotional meeting Sunday afternoon at the YWCA, Jeff Cliff told Marjorie Quewezance he wanted to help.
"I'm here to tell you today that I want to put something together for you. I am here to try and make things right for you," Cliff said.
Quewezance began to cry, and thanked Cliff for caring about her.
"I am so grateful for this kindness. I want to live with dignity in a place of my own," she said.
Quewezance, whose recurrent breast cancer has likely spread, is dying. She wants to spend the time she has left in a safe, clean, private place to call home. She's searched the listings for basement suites and apartments, but rents have skyrocketed in Saskatoon during the past year.
Quewezance said nothing decent is available for the amount provided by her social assistance payments.
She's currently staying in an emergency dorm room at the YWCA, but will need to find somewhere to live by early January.
When Cliff read a StarPhoenix article last week detailing Quewezance's predicament, he got in touch with Quewezance and met her for the first time Sunday in the foyer of the YWCA.
They're from two different worlds. Cliff is a financial advisor who moved to Saskatchewan more than a dozen years ago. Quewezance grew up poor on a First Nation in eastern Saskatchewan and struggled to complete her high school diploma at age 25.
But her story reminded Cliff of his own family. Cliff told Quewezance about his two-year-old daughter, Ciara, who was diagnosed with leukemia when she was six months old. Ciara had a successful bone marrrow transplant and is doing well.
Cliff said he was grateful for all the support his family received during their trying time. He told Quewezance he wants her to be comfortable and to know there are people who care.
"We had the resources to deal with (Ciara's illness) and we want to help you with that," he said.
Quewezance began to sob and Cliff put his hand on her back.
"We want to give you some hope and dignity," he said.
For the next week, Cliff and his staff at Jeff Cliff Financial Services are inviting anyone with a donation or other ideas on how to help to call them at 657-5732.
Cliff is chipping in $1,000 to start things off, and he hopes Saskatoon residents and businesses will join in.
"If you can't decide what to get someone for Christmas, how about giving some money to help her? We have so much," Cliff said.
jwarick@sp.canwest.com