The UCDA’s charitable support for the fight against childhood cancers continues in 2024 with more donations in September to mark Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (https://tinyurl.com/yc7xyrtm).
These wonderful organizations received donations from the Members of the UCDA:
Kids Kicking Cancer (Windsor)
The Hospice of Windsor and Essex County has partnered with Kids Kicking Cancer, founded in 1999. Kids Kicking Cancer’s program provides therapeutic martial arts classes and therapeutic visits in the hospital for children and youth, aged 3 to 18, in pain (physical, emotional and/or intellectual).
This evidence-based innovative program merges modern integrative medicine with traditional martial arts, addresses the overwhelming needs of children with pain, including stress and anxiety. Specially trained black belt martial artists teach breathing, visualization, and relaxation techniques, in addition to traditional martial arts moves, to help empower the children and provide them with a sense of Power, Peace and Purpose.
https://kidskickingcancer.ca/
Childcan (London)
Since 1974, Childcan has been providing responsive and compassionate support services to families and children dealing with a diagnosis of childhood cancer received from Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). They serve families from LHSC’s entire catchment area which encompasses London/Middlesex, Windsor/Essex, Waterloo Region, Oxford, Sarnia/Lambton, Grey/Bruce, Elgin, Perth, Kent and Huron counties.
The financial assistance they provide ranges from the provision of hospital parking passes and meal vouchers, to assistance with uncovered treatment-related medical costs and expenses made untenable due to these costs and the reduction in work many families must undertake to be with their child, to bursaries for post-secondary education for our Childcan children, to assistance with funeral costs.
Childcan has helped well over 1,000 families facing the journey through childhood cancer, from diagnosis, through treatment, to recovery or bereavement. Approximately 85 children are diagnosed annually at Children’s Hospital, LHSC, and all are immediately referred to Childcan. As the average duration of treatment is three years, they are serving approximately 250 families at any given time.
Help a Child Smile
Operating in Hamilton, with the funds they receive, they are able to raise a very sick child’s spirits with special “dream” trips to places like Disney or Marineland, as well as provide supports for families in the form of gas cards, parking vouchers and various outings.
Northern Ontario Families of Children with Cancer (NOFCC)
NOFCC is a not-for-profit organization that serves families all across Northern Ontario who have a child diagnosed with cancer. The organization was started by a group of parents in 1998, who wanted to provide support to families that would follow in their footsteps.
They support families with their immediate financial and emotional needs because families in their geographical region are forced to travel for treatments across Ontario, the States, and even further for some.
The large amount of income that is lost during treatment is overwhelming for a young family and can throw them into a lifetime of debt. NOFCC tries to reduce that burden that many face, and allow those parents to concentrate on their child and make necessary treatment decisions without having to worry about the cost involved.
NOFCC serves families in treatment, those off treatment and in follow-up care, as well as bereaved families in Northern Ontario (anyone residing in a “P” area code).
Candlelighters Simcoe
Serving Simcoe County (Barrie, Collingwood, Orillia), Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Huntsville, Bradford, and as far east as Keswick, Candlelighters assist families who have a child with a diagnosis of cancer. They support the family in a variety of meaningful ways as they begin, and throughout, the difficult journey back to health.
Founded 25 years ago by a parent of a child in cancer treatment, the group was originally created as a monthly support group. They have since expanded to include programs and support for each member of the family. Programs include monthly parent support groups, art therapy for children, teen group, school support program and social events for the entire family at different times throughout the year.
On initial diagnosis, they have a care package that they deliver to families and they have recently created an emergency relief fund.
Families with a child in treatment are also assisted during the Holiday season. Our Member’s donation will support Candlelighters’ activities throughout the year and provide a much needed injection of cash for their annual holiday hamper initiative for families in need.
Ontario Parents Advocating for Children with Cancer (OPACC)
A registered charity whose mission, since their establishment in 1995, has been to be the parent voice for families with children diagnosed with cancer across the Province of Ontario.
Vision Statement: OPACC will be the leading voice and expert resource for families and organizations navigating the childhood cancer journey.
How does OPACC support families?
- In-hospital and virtual peer-to-peer support through our Parent Liaison program
- Community support through community-based parent support groups
- Financial support through our hospital parking, gift card, and hospital meal vouchers programs.
They also support advocacy efforts to empower parents to advocate for themselves and to advocate for all families on a wider Provincial level, including: E.I. legislation for benefits to Parents of Critically Ill Children, reduced hospital parking rates, representation for childhood cancer survivors, supporting the educational needs of children with cancer, raising awareness of childhood cancer and of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (September), providing the caregiver voice to the pediatric oncology drug approval process, and more!