Our founding story
Jon’s story
Our team began as high-school friends in Vancouver. Now in our thirties, we have seen what care abroad can mean personally: one friend had Achilles surgery in China, while others faced uncertainty about their next step at home.
I saw friends and family waiting for care they needed. Friends needed ACL surgery, Achilles surgery, a colonoscopy or an MRI, and the waits felt endless. A knee issue of my own meant a six-month wait for an MRI.
When I needed hernia surgery, I faced that uncertainty myself. The reviews of general surgeons I was considering left me unsure, and the diagnostic process felt slow. I was not hearing back from the healthcare system when I needed answers, so I began looking at other options.
A different experience in China
I eventually had my surgery in China. My surgeon specialised in hernia procedures, performing around five hernia surgeries a day. That specific experience mattered to me.
The surgeon had also visited surgical practices in Canada to learn from them and refine his own practice. I valued that willingness to keep learning across borders.
My total cost was under C$2,000, and I made a full recovery. It was a personal experience that changed how I thought about accessing care.
Why that became Èlan
As we reached our thirties and began noticing hair loss ourselves, two of us travelled to China for hair transplants. Our different experiences — with diagnostics, planned surgery and hair restoration — shaped the practical support we wanted to offer.
My motivation is to make affordable healthcare more accessible to Canadians. I started Èlan to help people explore their options abroad, understand the practical details and have support coordinating their care. This began with my own experience, but the purpose is to help others make informed decisions about theirs.
This is my personal experience, not a current treatment quote or a guarantee of cost, wait time or recovery. Every person’s needs are different. Treatment suitability and recovery advice come from the treating clinician; individual costs and arrangements are confirmed before booking.