News Stories

After almost two years of cancer treatments, numerous surgeries and a liver transplant, Greta is finally back at home in Calgary and healthy enough to go to summer camp. From July 17 through 21, Greta and her older brother Ben enjoyed the fun and activities of SunRise, a day camp in the city for children ages thee to seven who have been affected by childhood cancer. On Wednesday, July 19, Greta and Ben also joined 21 other SunRise campers for a day at Camp Kindle, where the big kids go to our SunMaker camp program.

Diagnosed with a rare liver cancer in September 2015, Greta endured six months of chemotherapy and a liver resection that removed 70 per cent of her liver. Initially, Greta seemed to be thriving, but the cancer returned in August 2016 and her family learned that her only hope was a liver transplant, a procedure that is not available in Canada. Greta’s liver transplant in Cincinnati, Ohio cost the family $600,000 (US), so the Marofke family set up a Go Fund Me page to help defray some of the costs. Although the liver transplant was successful and Greta has not experienced any rejection issues so far, her future remains uncertain. The cancer has since spread to Greta’s lungs and her parents continue to explore further treatment options with her doctors.

The 2017 Calgary Sporting Life 10K run on Saturday, June 17, 2017 begins at 8:00 am in the city’s southwest quadrant and will run downtown via Bow Trail and 9th Avenue before finishing at Olympic Plaza for the post-race festivities. The run features two streams: one for serious runners striving to break personal bests and a second stream for less ambitious runners and families. The $65 registration fee, which includes a $25 gift card to Sporting Life, goes up to $75 on May 1st.

The Sporting Life 10K national series has raised more than $15 million since 2003 to help children and their families with cancer. Funds raised through the 2017 Calgary Sporting Life 10K will go toward Kids Cancer Care’s programs and services for children and families battling childhood cancer.

For more information about The Sporting Life 10K, click here.

The Kids Cancer Care Teen Leadership Program is for teens in grades 10 to 12 who have been affected by childhood cancer and certain hematological disorders. Patients, survivors, siblings and bereaved siblings get opportunities to develop as leaders through self-reflection, peer support, skill building, volunteerism and a service trip.

The Teen Leadership Program's Alberta Home Build took place in Lacombe, Alberta from Sunday, March 26 to Saturday, April 1, 2017.

It was a very special day at Crave Cookies and Cupcake's in Kensington when five Calgary kids and four adults gathered to launch a new community fundraising initiative for Kids Cancer Care on International Childhood Cancer Day. The new initiative, called Give More Birthdays, formalizes what is already a trend among some children to ask for charitable donations in lieu of birthday gifts.

Kids Cancer Care encourages people of all ages to support children with cancer by registering a birthday fundraiser online at kidscancercare.ab.ca. As a sponsor of the Give More Birthdays initiative, Crave Cookies and Cupcakes has generously offered to give a free cupcake to every individual who registers a birthday with Kids Cancer Care.

On Thursday, September 22, 2016 University of Calgary nursing professor and researcher Dr. Catherine Laing announced findings from a research study on digital storytelling, which revealed that all participants (16 cancer patients or survivors between the ages five to 32) who took part in the study experienced unexpected therapeutic value as a result of creating and narrating a digital story about their cancer experience. Eleven health care professionals, who later watched the digital stories, similarly reported that viewing the videos helped to deepen their understanding of the experience. The study also revealed that participants were struggling with mental health issues related to their cancer experience, many years later. The study could have major implications for long-term follow-up of pediatric cancer patients, calling for a stronger focus on mental health.

On Thursday, July 7, the Gracia family met the Texan stranger who saved their son Erik’s life. When Brent Lewelling was 20 years old he received the call to help a young boy, in Alberta battling acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Brent jumped at the chance and underwent surgery to have stem cells from his bone marrow harvested and donated to Erik. We’re thrilled these two families could finally connect and celebrate Brent’s incredible gift.

After losing her mother to cancer at age nine and her stepmother to cancer six years later, Gizelle had good reason to shave her head for Kids Cancer Care. But this brave young woman took it to a whole new level by shaving her head for the high school prom.

On Friday, June 3, students from Nellie McClung School came together in a show of solidarity and support for children with cancer at the school’s 11^th Shave Your Lid for a Kid event. The students shaved in honour of Joel Zukowski, a former spokeskid for Kids Cancer Care who passed away in October 2015 from a brain tumour at the age of 16. 

On Thursday, April 14, 2016 months of fundraising activity culminates in a massive shave-off at Harold Panabaker School  when 36 students, a principal and a father-and-son duo all went under the razor for kids with cancer. Twelve-year-old Ethan Rau was inspired to organize the school shave for Kids Cancer Care, when his grandpa Cliff passed away last June, after a 16-month battle with cancer. To support his son’s fundraising efforts, Andrew Rau agreed to grow a beard last July and refrain from cutting or trimming it until his son raised at least $3,000. The father-son team also agreed that Ethan could shave off his father’s hair and beard in front of the entire school if he met his fundraising goal. This amazing group raised more than $25,000!

After two months of fundraising efforts, on Monday, February 29, students and staff from St. Helena Junior High School stuck it to cancer in a big, bad way! They played hockey, shaved their lids and duct-taped teachers to the wall all in support of their friend Alex, who's currently battling cancer. 

Kids Cancer Care and Childhood Cancer International invite children across Alberta to raise their voices in support of children with cancer by visiting child4child.com.

The Northwest Calgary Athletic Association Midget AAA Flames are raising funds for Kids Cancer Care in honour of teammate Tyler Oakenfold’s best friend Joel Zukowski, who passed away from a brain cancer in October 2015 at the age of 16. Joel was an amazing young man who made an impact on everyone who knew him. He is missed by all of us. To honour Joel, the 20 players on the team have committed to raising $1,500 each for a total of $30,000—enough to send 20 children affected by cancer to camp. To help with their fundraising efforts, donate here.
 

Over 100 Alberta children dressed in pajamas gathered at Aspen Crossing Railway in Mossleigh, Alberta for the inaugural Alberta ride of THE POALR EXPRESS™ to the North Pole. Aspen Crossing held the inaugural ride for Kids Cancer Care in honour of Jace Hurum, a six-year-old boy from Carstairs, who is battling crangiopharyngioma, a brain tumour of the pituitary gland.