“It has been an amazing experience. Liam is excited to do math now and he knows he can do it.” – Diana Kurila

Every Monday evening Liam meets with Diana for one-to-one tutoring support in his home. Most of the time, Liam is eager to get going with his studies when Diana arrives. This is huge. Not long ago, Liam generally avoided anything to do school work. But thanks to your support for our Education Support Program, Liam is acquiring a love of learning.

“Liam is growing every day,” says Diana, a second-year education student and volunteer tutor with Kids Cancer Care. “He’s excited to get started when I come. He’s enjoys math a lot more and he likes reading more each time. Liam is able to identify what he needs as a learner and tell me. He’s really engaged with his learning.”

Liam wasn’t born with a learning disability. He acquired it. At the age of two, Liam was diagnosed with a brain tumour. After two craniotomies, six rounds of chemotherapy, three stem cell transplants and daily radiation, Liam was left with a barrage of long-term after effects. Now eight years old and cancer-free, he still has issues with his balance and motor skills. His working memory and brain processing speed have also been affected.

As a result, Liam is struggling to keep up with his peers in class and on the playground.

“As he gets older, Liam is becoming more aware that he doesn’t have the same abilities and he gets frustrated,” says Mom Karla Gould. “His younger sister Madison is starting to pass him in some areas and that really frustrates him.”

Liam is working hard to improve. Thanks to your generous support, he is able to work on his balance and motor skills every Wednesday evening at PEER (Pediatric Oncology Patients Engaging in Exercise for Recovery) and, on Monday evenings, Liam works on his math and reading comprehension with Diana. Liam’s parents are seeing improvements.

“He’s more confident and he’ll give things a try now,” says Mom. “Liam’s issues with working memory and processing speed means he can only take in small amounts of information at a time, so he requires a lot of repetition to learn. Every time he learns something new, he has to go back and re-learn the fundamentals. A teacher with 20 other students in the classroom can’t give such individualized attention, so the extra time and the repetition he gets through tutoring are helping a lot.”

Diana regularly works with Liam’s teacher to determine areas for improvement and to develop weekly lesson plans. She’s become so adept at assessing Liam’s needs in the moment and quickly adapting the tutoring session that sometimes Liam isn’t even aware that he’s doing school work.

“Liam really likes games and getting a bit competitive,” says Diana. “We’ll spend the first hour in a competition between us, adding and subtracting or multiplying, using manipulatives like his Lego characters. He thinks it’s great. He’s having fun and he’s learning.”

In 2016/17, volunteer tutors gave 427 hours of one-to-one tutoring support to 19 children, who are struggling at school because of cancer-related health issues. Thank you for giving kids like Liam a chance to love learning too.

 Brighter futures with YOU.

“It balances out my soul. I don’t think I’d be the athlete and person I am, if I wasn’t also giving back. Working with kids uses a whole other part of my brain. It’s great to be silly and immature and dress up in crazy costumes at camp.” – Shellen Thomas, 2017 World Masters Games Gold Medalist

If you ask Shellen Thomas why she works several jobs, she’ll tell you it’s just part of training as a competitive athlete.

Athletic coaches, sports nutritionists, sports psychologists, massage therapists, acupuncturists, nutritional supplements. They all cost. Then there’s the cost of airfare and accommodations for international competitions.

An Olympic weightlifter, Shellen trains six days a week and lifts approximately 22,000 kilos per week. Her training routine varies from day to day but generally involves rehabilitation exercises, squats, deadlifts, cardiovascular and auxiliary work such as skipping, stationary bike work and mobility exercises.

You might think someone as busy as Shellen would have zero time for volunteering. But for Shellen, it comes with the territory.

“I believe every athlete should give back,” says Shellen, who has volunteered with Kids Cancer Care for the past 15 years. “I know I am fortunate to pursue my passion to compete at this level. Some kids don’t get to be active. That’s why I volunteer at Camp Kindle, so these kids can have a chance to play and be active too.”

A former competitive bobsledder and track and field hammer thrower, Shellen doesn’t only volunteer at our camp programs. She regularly volunteers at our fundraising events and has shaved her head twice through the Shave Your Lid for a Kid^® program.

The 47-year-old athlete is also an NCCP certified level one weightlifting coach and a recent graduate of the University of Calgary’s Adult Education Certificate Program, specializing in workplace learning through distance education.

While Shellen normally has several balls in the air, this past April she had a single focus – to bring home gold for Canada in women’s weightlifting at the 2017 World Masters Games in Auckland, New Zealand. On April 26, four years of hard work and dedication culminated in six fleeting minutes of competition. Shellen lifted an astounding 65-kilogram snatch lift and an 86-kilogram clean and jerk lift for a total of 151 kilograms, winning her the gold.

“I’ve wanted since I was a child to represent Canada in the athlete parade and on the podium,” says Shellen. “The feeling is hard to put into words. It has been my focus for the last four years. There have been many dark times with injuries or other setbacks, but when I stood on the platform and they played the Canadian national anthems — no words. I was so proud of working so hard to represent Canada.”

Quietly determined and ultra-focused, Shellen is the perfect role model for children facing adversities as great as cancer. Over 75 per cent of childhood cancer survivors face at least one chronic health condition and a third of these conditions are serious or life threatening. For these kids, she has some words of wisdom:

“If you’re trying to achieve a goal, you really need to push yourself outside your comfort zone. You just can’t ever give up and when it’s hard, just remember all the hard work is gonna’ pay off. You may not win a medal, but you will reach your goal.”

Thank you for giving your time and talents to improve the lives of children affected by cancer.

In 2016-17, 488 dedicated volunteers like Shellen gave 17,472 hours to Kids Cancer Care, helping us with governance, administration and delivery of our mission-based programs and fundraising events.

“At first, I was really scared and excited to go to Camp Kindle. But I really liked it. There were lots of kids to meet and lots of things to do. I got my mind off the idea that my mom has cancer, the whole time I was there.” – Joss McFarlane

Driving to work one morning 16 months ago, Rene McFarlane experienced a sudden and frightening flash of visual disorientation. Within days there were more episodes of double vision. A physician herself, Rene knew this could indicate something serious, so she quickly saw a doctor. It wasn’t long before she learned that she had a chordoma, an extremely rare malignant, skull-based tumour, growing next to her brainstem.

A bewildering whirlwind of appointments, tests, scans, two neurosurgeries and radiation treatments followed. Rene had to travel to Toronto for her second surgery and has to go back for assessments every few months. She also had to go to Boston for two months of highly specialized radiation not available in Canada.

Rene’s life was completely shattered. Her career as a doctor, assisting surgeons in the Operating Room, is on hold as she focuses on trying to recover. Parenting two nine-year-olds and running her busy household was a delicate balance before. Continuing this while also dealing with sometimes debilitating symptoms and attending medical appointments has added unexpected demands.

“One of the hardest things is the uncertainty,” says Rene, previously a high-energy woman who has travelled the world and lived and worked in seven countries.“It feels like the focus of our world has become my illness and its worries: tests, scans, appointments, results and waiting for what’s next.”

Rene’s cancer has been very tough on her kids, daughter Elone and son Joss. Elone and Joss are bright, inquisitive children. They excel at school and are involved in extra-curricular activities such as karate and swimming. It has been a challenge for them both as they work hard to help Mom and take on more of the household responsibilities.

“We have a house helper and a kitchen helper,” explains Elone. “The house helper helps with the laundry, cleaning the stairs and taking out the garbage. The kitchen helper sets the table, helps with the dishes and takes out the compost and recycling. We rotate once a month.”

“They’ve taken on a lot,” Rene smiles. “They’re only nine. They’re amazingly good-natured children; very sweet kids.”

One of the most formidable things to deal with has been the long separations when Mom was away for treatments. Thankfully, the McFarlane family found respite last summer at Camp Kindle’s SunHaven, a camp program for children who have a parent with cancer.

“My treatment has meant that I had to be out of the province for two months in the summer, including the camp week, and another two months in the fall,” says Rene. “Although the separations seemed impossible, somehow, with support from friends and family, we made it through. Your SunHaven camp was an important part of that. The kids were both scared and eager to go to their first overnight camp and their excitement sustained them through many of our summer weeks apart. They both had a fantastic time at SunHaven. They loved the counsellors and they made new friends. Their memories of SunHaven became even richer in the weeks after camp.”

The twins couldn’t agree more. Elone and Joss both loved the Flying Squirrel and the Climbing Wall. They are already counting down the weeks to camp. This summer, they’re looking forward to being able to take on the Giant Swing. But what the twins loved most about Camp Kindle was learning new things, making new friends and forgetting, if only for a week, that their mother has an incurable cancer.

Thank you for giving kids with big worries a big break at SunHaven.

Memories made by YOU.

A bed rest pillow, sound machine and magic bag. Some items provide comfort. A storybook, colouring book and mini-medical kit. Some promise fun and play. Pill splitter, thermometer and nitrile gloves. These are vital for care. A million little things a family may not even know they need when their child is first diagnosed with cancer. Simple things that will make all the difference in the world. All items they will find in their Kids Cancer Care Wellness Bag to help them on their cancer journey.

While childhood cancer is not a journey a family would ever choose, when forced to embark on the journey, it is comforting to know you are not alone. Sometimes, it helps to know that others understand because they’ve been there too. And, more often than not, it is the simplest gesture and the humblest act of kindness that speak the loudest. In these moments, words just can’t compete.

Every year, Kids Cancer Care delivers Wellness Bags to newly diagnosed families in Southern Alberta. These bags are often the first communication a family has with Kids Cancer Care. Filled to the brim with medical supplies, toiletries, books and toys, these Wellness Bags are meant to say: “We’re here for you and we care.”

Our nursing coordinator Janessa DeCoste and family liaison Mary Philippo deliver the Wellness Bags to families in the comfort of the families’ homes. They often come with a special delivery of home-cooked meals, lovingly prepared by volunteers in our Cooking and Caring program.

Just as each meal is especially prepared for each family and their dietary needs, so too are the Wellness Bags carefully packed with each family in mind.

“Every family completes an in-take form, indicating the age and gender of their child with cancer, so the items are age-appropriate,” says Janessa, who oversees the Wellness Bags program. “A two-year-old boy might receive a bag with a teddy bear, a jumbo Lego kit and a DVD of his favorite cartoons, while a 12-year-old girl might receive a journal, the latest tween novel and a jewellery-making kit in her bag.”

On the in-take form, parents are also asked to indicate which medical supplies, they need to help care for their child. They may need a pill splitter, a thermometer or a box of nitrile gloves.

Once Janessa knows more about each family and their needs, she fills the bag with items, serving a range of purposes. Items like magic bags or sound machines offer comfort and rest, whereas colouring books and storybooks offer a welcome distraction and a bit of entertainment for a long stay at the hospital.

Each bag and every item it contains is made possible by you, which the families accept with open arms and grateful hearts.

Ten months ago, little Gracie was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Her family is still enjoying the contents of their Wellness Bag.

“I just wanted to express how thankful we are for getting the wellness bag,” writes Gracie’s father Franklin Crothers in an email to Mary. “The bag came with many thing we still are using, including the bag itself. Gracie enjoyed her colouring books and uses her mood lighting lamp on a regular basis. She enjoys looking at the stars.”

Thank you for helping our families to feel welcome and supported as they embark on the toughest journey of their lives.

Support from YOU along the way.

“Once I started giving back through the Teen Leadership Program, I realized what Kids Cancer Care does for families like mine and how important it is. Now, I was the one helping someone who had lost a sibling and I could do it because I had been through it myself.” – Evan Ho

Evan Ho remembers the first time he travelled to Mexico with the Teen Leadership Program (TLP) in 2011 to build homes for low-income families. He remembers being shy, holding back and generally being afraid to try new things, like using power tools. But he also remembers the incredible spirit of his teen group and their drive to keep going. And he will always remember the gratitude of the families they helped.

“I was 14 years old the first year and the most important take-away for me was learning to cherish what I have,” says Evan. “Connecting with those families was amazing. They are grateful for the smallest of things. They work so hard for everything they have; they deserve a home to live in. I am honoured to have been part of that.”

As a member of TLP for four years, Evan was part of a volunteer team of teens that volunteered at soup kitchens, organized fundraising events and helped out at Kids Cancer Care outreach programs. During this time, Evan honed his social skills and improved his communication skills. He learned to manage fundraising events, develop budgets and work as part of a team.

Perhaps most importantly, Evan learned to give more of himself: “I learned to step outside my comfort zone. Once I started giving back, I started to feel more confident to take the lead. Now, I was the one reaching out to the younger teens in the group and helping them to feel accepted.”

A fourth-year student in the Sports and Recreation Management program at Mount Royal University, Evan recently discovered that these skills are very transferable. For credit in one of his courses, Evan and his classmates were required to organize a fundraising event for a local charity. When students were asked to pitch classmates on the charity they wished to support, Evan decided to present on Kids Cancer Care. His pitch was so compelling that Kids Cancer Care became one of two charities chosen by the class.

As chair of the entire project, Evan oversaw several committees responsible for organizing and marketing the event, liaising with the charity partners, sourcing event sponsors, ordering food and beverages and running event-day logistics.

“The event ran seamlessly and raised $800, exceeding their original $500 fundraising goal,” says Kelsey Morrison, a Kids Cancer Care event coordinator. “All community fundraisers are important, but the ones hosted by our families are extremely special.”

Evan shared his family’s cancer journey at the fundraising event, explaining how he had lost his sister Celina to cancer and how Kids Cancer Care had reached out and helped his family.

“This was the first time Evan’s classmates had heard about his personal connection to childhood cancer,” says Kelsey. “Truth be told, it was hard for the group to maintain their composure. Evan’s passion and dedication to Kids Cancer Care was truly moving and I believe his story inspired the group to go on to beat their fundraising goal.”

Evan’s professor was equally impressed with his efforts, giving Evan an A+ in the class. Still, Evan remains humble about his achievements, crediting Kids Cancer Care for the person he is today.

“Kids Cancer Care is a charity so close to my heart, it was easy for me to communicate what they have done for me and my family,” he says. “Kids Cancer Care shaped a huge part of who I am today. I’m not afraid of who I am and I’m not afraid of what we’ve been through. I’m open to new challenges and I’ve learned how to get the best out of myself and the best out of others.”

Thank you for supporting young leaders in their quest to make a difference in the world.

 Leaders shaped by YOU.

“Until you experience it yourself, you can’t understand what a big difference generosity and support can make in a family’s life.”– Jason Jaskela

You can feel it the moment you walk in – a bright, elfin energy dancing in the Jaskela household. Three young children, brimming with questions and stories and explanations on life.

“My name is Nevaeh,” the oldest one announces. And she spells it out loud: “N-E-V-A-E-H. Nevaeh is heaven spelled backwards.” Then she explains that she has a brother in heaven and that is why she is named Nevaeh.

Although Nevaeh (7) and her younger brothers Weston (5) and Joel (3) have never met their big brother, they know him. His memory is still very much alive in their home.

As with most bereaved parents, Jason and Trisha Jaskela have come to dread the inevitable question:

“How many children do you have?”

The answer they offer is often the simplest one: “Three.”

This is the point Nevaeh jumps in: “You have four kids. Our big brother Cohyn is in heaven. He’s up in heaven now, but he’s all better now.”

Cohyn’s journey

Cohyn was just a year old, when he was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive brain tumour called atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumour (AT/RT). That summer in 2007, Cohyn and his parents embarked on the most difficult journey of their lives.

The cancer had spread throughout his entire brain and spinal cord. Cohyn underwent emergency brain surgery, followed by five rounds of chemotherapy and three stem cell transplants. Five months later, Cohyn and his parents were finally able to come home just in time for Christmas.

“He went through all of it like it was a walk in the park,” says Mom Trisha. “For Cohyn, it was all about playing and, of course, flirting with the nurses and high-fiving with the doctors. As long as he could play, everything was great.”

Cohyn was a strong, happy-go-lucky little guy, who loved sports and camping. When he wasn’t at the hospital, his life was all about fast vehicles – motorbikes, boats, golf carts, tricycles.

Cohyn also loved to travel with Mom and Dad. Arizona, Mexico, Fairmont Hot Springs, Vancouver, Niagara Falls, Medicine Hat, Sylvan Lake – he travelled more in two years than some do in a lifetime.

But Cohyn’s biggest love was hockey. He even played it in the hallways of the hospital.

“We never treated him like he was sick,” says Trisha. “A couple of days before his last round of chemo, we took him to a Flames game and sat in the third row. Cohyn wouldn’t even talk to us or look at us for two full periods. His eyes were like saucers.”

Trisha and Jason fondly remember the outpouring of love and support they received during Cohyn’s cancer journey. And, for this, they are grateful.

“Thanks to our amazing support system, Cohyn wasn’t alone for a minute the whole time,” says Trisha. “Friends, family, people from church and work bent over backwards to help. They dropped off meals. Cohyn’s grandparents immediately dropped everything and came to Calgary to help. They even took turns doing overnight shifts at the hospital, so we could get some sleep.”

Kids Cancer Care was one of the organizations that helped Trisha and Jason through this challenging time. Every Wednesday evening, the Jaskelas found comfort in our weekly Pizza Nights at the hospital. During Pizza Nights, they were able to meet other parents facing childhood cancer, exchange stories and share information over warm pizza.

“Until you experience it yourself, you can’t understand what a big difference generosity and support can make in a family’s life,” says Dad Jason.

Cohyn’s legacy

Inspired by their son’s memory, the Jaskelas are helping families facing this disease.

Jason and his daughter Nevaeh are regulars at the Dad and Daughter Gala and, in 2016, the family made a significant gift of shares through Raging River Explorations Inc., where Jason works as chief operating officer.

“The current economic situation seemed like the perfect time to make the biggest impact,” says Jason. “Our experience with Cohyn was so challenging and Kids Cancer Care was one of the organizations that was there for us. They are investing wisely in areas that are impacting the lives of children and families today, so it made sense to us to give here.”

Christine McIver of Kids Cancer Care couldn’t agree more: “A gift of this magnitude could not have come at a better time. It is a gift from the heart – from one family to many other families. Their generosity will be felt by many.”

But the gift of shares in 2016 wasn’t the first gift the Jaskelas made to pediatric cancer. Their first gift actually came nine years ago. Moments after Cohyn passed away in 2008, Jason and Trisha donated his tumour and spinal fluid to research.

Slowly, with some scientific arm-twisting, the tumour cells became a cell line and managed to survive in a Petri dish, allowing scientists a glimpse into its inner workings. The cell line ultimately gave researchers an invaluable tool to test for new treatments.

“The Jaskelas are an exceptional family,” says Dr. Aru Narendran, the Kids Cancer Care-funded researcher, who developed the immortal AT/RT cell line in his University of Calgary laboratory. “They are the true heroes and I hope they know that their kindness continues to work quietly in many laboratories across the world, so maybe one day this cancer will no longer hurt children and families.”

Although Cohyn’s life was brief, his legacy is far-reaching and enduring. It lives in the love and generosity of his family. It survives in the tissue and blood samples his parents donated to science a decade ago. Soon, his memory will live in a quaint little park named Cohyn’s Corner, overlooking Kindle Pond at Camp Kindle. And, perhaps most importantly, Cohyn’s legacy lives in the hope his family continues to offer countless families facing childhood cancer today.

Thank you to the Jaskela family. With love and compassion, you are bringing hope to countless children and families facing childhood cancer.

 The biggest gift from YOU.