Abra Shiner, the much-loved owner of Toronto’s Swan Dive bar, is facing an incredibly difficult time. Known for her effervescent personality and commitment to the local Toronto food and alcohol scene, Abra has been battling terminal cancer for a few years. Her illness has progressed, leading her sister Erica to launch a GoFundMe campaign to support her.
Abra, who first made her mark bartending at Toronto’s Big Bop and has worked at many legendary spots, eventually opened her own spot, Swan Dive, in the city’s Little Portugal neighbourhood. Over the years, she’s been a key figure in the Toronto bar community, supporting local businesses through pop-ups and other events.
“Abra has done SO MUCH for so many over the years, let’s continue to give back to the walking kaleidoscope that is my magical sis!” Erica writes on the GoFundMe page.
The campaign, which has a goal of raising $10,000, is aimed at helping Abra through her challenging times. As Erica shares on the campaign page, Abra’s cancer has entered a new stage of progression, and her mobility has significantly decreased.
“She is a lot less mobile and in a lot more pain and really looking forward to building a beautiful garden in the months ahead!”
Abra’s new home offers a bit of space for gardening, but she’s faced with unique challenges.
“A random ice cream stand that pops up on her lawn all summer, the need to contain her precious Nugget” means she needs to build a fence to make her garden a reality. The costs of this project, along with transportation, meals, cleaning help and all the additional expenses related to her illness, have made it difficult for Abra to keep up.
This comes less than a month after Abra shared an Instagram post revealing that she had to put her savings into the bar’s account to cover the overdue rent, which was still in overdraft. She also asked people to visit more often, acknowledging that times are tough, but added, “If you’re going to grab a beer, come enjoy it in our maximalist wonderland—it would mean a lot.”
So far, the campaign has raised $2,209 with 29 donations. Erica is inviting supporters to “pitch in to give my sister her flowers while she is still with us.”
