Excel Homes isn’t just in the business of building homes; they’re dedicated to building vibrant, resilient communities. Their decades-long support for Kids Cancer Care is a testament to their community spirit.

For years, Excel Homes has supported Kids Cancer Care’s signature fundraising events, including the Ride for a Lifetime, the Dad and Daughter Gala, the High Hopes Challenge, and Barley & Smoke: Grillin’ for a Cure.

“Over the years, several members of our executive team have participated in the Ride for a Lifetime and other events. Even before joining Excel, many of them were personally supporting Kids Cancer Care.¹ The connection is deep and longstanding,” says Heather Cockerline, executive assistant to the president and CEO of Excel Homes.

In 2024, Excel Homes elevated their commitment, making the lead gift to the Excel Homes Enchanted Pathway in the Camp Kindle Expansion and Accessibility Project. Construction on the accessible, environmentally friendly pathway is now underway.

For Heather, who sits on the Excel Homes sponsorship committee, the decision was simple. “It felt like an easy and natural decision. How could we not contribute to a space designed to support and uplift children and families going through the unimaginable? It aligns with our values and the communities we serve.”

The Excel Homes Enchanted Pathway isn’t just a path; it’s an enchanted journey, designed for adventure and connection. Phased in over time, the pathway will eventually feature whimsical nooks, secret tunnels, lush, vegetated walls, scenic look-out points, cozy gathering spots, fairy lights, and activities for kids to explore.

Excel’s community spirit aligns perfectly with Kids Cancer Care’s values. Leading with heart and a can-do attitude, they put people first in business and in philanthropy.  

“The work Kids Cancer Care does is simply unmatched,” says Heather. “Alberta is home to world-class medical care, but it’s the human connection that Kids Cancer Care provides — the peer support, guidance, and community — that truly sets them apart. It’s something you can’t find anywhere else.”

Fortunately for Alberta children, Excel Homes’ giving spirit is far from exhausted. In 2025, they took their commitment to the next level, becoming the presenting sponsor of the Ride for a Lifetime. Without a moment’s hesitation, they rallied an enthusiastic team of volunteers to support the ride and join the planning committee.

“It’s more than financial,” says Heather. “We’re fully invested with our time, energy, and hearts.”

While the 2025 Ride for a Lifetime was postponed due to rain, the riders still surpassed their fundraising goal and gathered for the kick-off breakfast to hear our spokeskid Lauren Gamble share her story.

“It was an incredibly moving experience,” Heather recalls. “Hearing Lauren left a lasting impact. Despite the rain, the turnout was strong, proof of the deep community connection and commitment. That morning reminded all of us exactly why we’re involved.”

And when they hit the road in August for the re-ride, Excel Homes will be there, engines roaring, hearts shining for children battling cancer.

Note

^{1. For years, Trico Homes was the presenting sponsor of the Ride for a Lifetime, followed by the Kinsmen Club and now Excel Homes. We’re grateful to all the generous companies that support our fundraising events as sponsors and participants.}

The Essex Lease Golf Classic is creating positive change for children with cancer — one chip, one putt, one birdie at a time. Now in its third year, the annual tournament has raised more than $300,000 for Kids Cancer Care, which translates into about 200 kids going to summer camp.

And the good news? They’re just getting started.

“During our first year of involvement, we went in thinking that Kids Cancer Care is there for the kids after visiting Camp Kindle,” says Ross Sten, Chief Executive Officer of Essex Lease Financial. “Then we realized that camp is really the tip of a massive iceberg of programs and services they offer. Kids Cancer Care offers so much more — not only for the kids but for the families facing this terrible disease. And when you hear from the kids themselves, you know you’re making an impact and that drives us even harder to make the tournament a success.”

With 152 golfers, 24 volunteers, and 93 sponsors and silent auction donors, the 2023 tournament was by all accounts a huge success. It raised $140,280, doubling its revenue in three years.

To raise the stakes in 2023, Ross spearheaded the idea of a massive 50/50 raffle, involving six Can Do fundraising partners of Kids Cancer Care. Instead of running several small 50/50s, Ross imagined a gigantic 50/50 where all the fundraising partners would collaborate to promote the raffle and sell tickets at their events. We called it the MEGA 50/50 and it was truly a win, not just for the kids, but also for the lucky Calgarian who held the winning ticket.

Essex Lease creates win-win partnerships in both play and work. The company offers equipment financing, asset-based lending, equipment rentals, and insurance to businesses. Essex prides itself on looking beyond the numbers and turning to character and trust to build long-term winning partnerships with clients.

Fortunately, Essex also takes a win-win approach to its CSR partnerships. CSR refers to a company’s commitment to environmental, ethical, philanthropic, and economic responsibility.

Christine McIver, Founder and CEO of Kids Cancer Care, agrees: “Essex isn’t interested in a flash-in-the-pan success. They’re in it for the long haul. They care about the children and families we serve, and they’re partnering to create an outstanding annual golf tournament that generates a consistent source of funding for our programs. We welcome the opportunity to partner with visionary leaders like Ross who help drive the economy while building a stronger community through collaboration.”

Ryane Nethery, a Kids Cancer Care spokeskid, shared her cancer story at the tournament dinner. Diagnosed with cancer at age three, Ryane grew up going to Kids Cancer Care programs.

“Going to Camp Kindle gave me a sense of a normal childhood,” said Ryane. “I didn’t have to worry about being on treatment and having no hair. I didn’t have to worry about being bullied or what people might say when I told them I had cancer. Camp allowed me to be a kid and make friends with other kids who were similar to me. I can remember coming home countless times with a smile that hurt my cheeks, being so excited to tell my parents about my time at camp.”

While the chemotherapy left Ryane with a serious heart condition and a learning disability, she considers herself one of the lucky ones. With a lot of hard work and the help of a Kids Cancer Care tutor, Ryane graduated from high school — with an 81% average. After receiving a Kids Cancer Care Derek Wandzura Memorial Scholarship, Ryane studied at Mount Royal University and later SAIT. Today, she is working as a pharmacy assistant with Alberta Health Services.

“I have learned many important lessons through Kids Cancer Care,” said Ryane. “I cannot thank them enough for the difference they not only made in my life but in my family’s life. One of the mottos I still live by today is: ‘Cancer may have started this fight, but I’m finishing it.’”

With the support of Essex and its partners, Kids Cancer Care is able to help young people like Ryane build the skills and resilience they need to fight cancer from a place of strength and courage.

“I can’t say enough about what Kids Cancer Care does for these families,” says Ross. “They are there when the child is diagnosed and when the child needs a tutor or exercise therapist to return to life outside the hospital. They’re there for the family when a child dies. Cancer isn’t over when the treatments stop, and Kids Cancer Care understands that. This is the kind of long-standing support we can get behind at Essex. I am extremely thankful to Essex staff, the sponsors, and Kids Cancer Care for what they are doing to make a difference for so many families.”

The speed of the car picks up and they enter what racers call the 100-mile-an-hour club. It is at that moment that Connor’s whole face lights up.

Sitting in a coffee shop in Calgary’s inner city on a chilly February afternoon, Brent Thorkelson describes one of his most memorable days.

In the sunny Okanagan on a gorgeous May long weekend, Brent is behind the wheel of his 2007 GT3 Porsche. A Porsche lover since he was five-years-old, Brent knows this car well.

His passenger is a young man named Connor. Earlier that day, Brent had met the shy preteen. Brent says, “Connor seemed so sad, he was quiet, almost depressed” as he climbed into his race suit, put on his helmet and was strapped into the five-point harness.

And he had every reason to be. This weekend was a rare break from his childhood cancer treatments.

Brent and Connor are driving up Knox Mountain as part of the Knox Mountain Climb, an annual event in Kelowna. Trees blur past them and the road winds. In just two minutes they have travelled 5km and climbed 800 feet. They’ve hit most of the ten turns on the route. The speed of the car picks up and they enter what racers call the 100-mile-an-hour club.

It is at that moment that Connor’s whole face lights up.

Brent can’t help but smile. It’s not the first or the last time he will venture up Knox Mountain. In fact, he does it every year.

Hands Together for a Cure is a passion project for Brent, his wife Lenora and their son Ben. Brent has always been involved in motorsport and wanted to use his passion to give back.

As an Advanced Care Paramedic for over 28 years, Brent finds himself on the scene of countless “accidents.” But he doesn’t love the word: “The term accident infers that nothing contributed to the event. More importantly, that the event was not preventable. As a practitioner, we see numerous incidents, but very few accidents. You can’t get a truer definition of this word than a child being afflicted with cancer. He or she did nothing what so ever to be “saddled” with this unforgiving disease.” The Thorkelsons wanted to do something to bring joy and laughter into these children’s lives.

That’s where the Knox Mountain Hill Climb comes in. Brent has been going to the Knox Mountain Climb since he was five. The event includes a beer garden, car show and the competitive climb. His dad, now 88, still joins him every year. He knew that something that brought him so much joy could also bring some happiness to these kids, if even just for a day between treatments.

Brent and his Porsche do about 12 to 13 drives up the hill through Hands Together for a Cure each year. The ride is unique in that it gives children an experience they wouldn’t otherwise get and at the same time it is a fundraiser. The kids ride for free, thanks to year-round fundraising through Hands Together for a Cure and donations from other drivers in the Knox Mountain Hill Climb. Brent sells the remaining spots at $500, with all the proceeds going to childhood cancer research, including Kids Cancer Care.

Humbly, Brent shares what goes into making the event a success: a website to maintain, pounding the pavement to sell rider spots, coordinating the kid spots with charities in British Columbia and Alberta, organizing transportation for the families (thanks to CanWest Air Charters), silent auctions, appearances, picking up cheques from donors. That doesn’t even touch upon the upkeep of the car, which is covered in handprints of children who have had cancer – a constant reminder for Brent and those involved as to why they do this every year.

And it’s all worth it.

Last year, Hands Together for a Cure broke $115,000 total raised in 6 years.

Connor and Brent are at the top of the course and start heading back down the hill. The other drivers unbuckle (no easy task) and get out of the cars. Marshalls line the route and give a standing ovation.

And on the way down, all Connor could say was, “Wow!” Brent can still hear the words clearly in his mind, like it was yesterday.

All the funds raised from Hands Together for a Cure are making a difference in the lives of children affected by cancer. The funds donated to Kids Cancer Care research to change the course of childhood cancer for the approximately 1,400 children diagnosed in Canada every year.

Brent smiles as he shares that Connor is cancer-free today, something he hopes for every child fighting cancer. And that is no accident.

To book your ride with Hands Together for a Cure at The 2018 Knox Mountain Climb, click here.

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When CANA partnered with Kids Cancer Care to celebrate its 75^th anniversary year, they knew their employees would jump in to raise funds and meet their $75,000 fundraising goal. What they didn’t know was that even the children of CANA would get involved.

CANA launched its 75 for 75 fundraising campaign in December 2016 and within months the kids of CANA employees were already rolling up their sleeves to help. They sold firewood, held bake sales and bottle drives. Six-year-old Clayton McLeod even turned his birthday into a fundraising moment, encouraging friends and family to donate to Kids Cancer Care in lieu of birthday gifts through our Give More Birthday program. Clayton raised over $900 for Kids Cancer Care.

Three-year-old Zoey Van Staalduine also rose to the occasion. “We sold bundles of firewood, collected bottles and cans and made cookies and brownies for a kids bake sale at CANA,” says Zoey’s mom Christie Simpson of Shepard Development, a CANA Group company. “I wasn’t sure if Zoey would understand what we were doing, because she’s only three, but I was amazed at her level of understanding, interest and compassion. We had a lot of fun doing our Kids Cancer Care projects on weekends as a family. Zoey was quick to remind us on Saturday morning what we had to get done for Kids Cancer Care each weekend! She was our chief baker, firewood bundler and bottle depot unloader.”

After a full year of fundraising, CANA employees raised $101,704, far surpassing their $75,000 target. CANA employees held bake sales and yard sales, shaved their heads, ran in the Calgary Marathon and sponsored a table at the Dad and Daughter Gala. Their president Fabrizio Carinelli took part in Kids Cancer Care’s High Hopes Challenge and finished as the top fundraiser.

But that’s not all. CANA employees and sub-contractors also gave their time, carrying out renovations at Camp Kindle at no cost to the foundation.

“There is no other place on earth quite like Camp Kindle,” says Luke Simpson, Director of Business Development and Marketing at CANA. “When I came to my High Hopes Challenge reunion this year and I got to see the kids at the camp and see the smiles on their faces again, the feeling was magical; I knew right then that this was going to be the charity we worked with for our campaign. I was overwhelmed by the response we got from our clients and sub-trades. Without them none of this would have been possible, so I want to thank all of them for making this campaign the success it was.”

There’s no doubt, that CANA is creating a culture of giving right from the top. When the company launched the fundraising campaign, John Simpson, Chairman of the Board, Owner and CEO of CANA, promised to match his employees’ fundraising efforts dollar for dollar. With Mr. Simpson’s generous matching gift, their total contribution to Kids Cancer Care this year is $203,408.

“We are so grateful to everyone at CANA,” says Christine McIver, Founder and CEO of Kids Cancer Care. “Each summer, we send about 485 kids to camp and these funds will help send 135 those kids to Camp Kindle next summer. Thank you CANA! Happy 75^th Anniversary!”    

A YEAR OF GIVING

CANA’s 75th Anniversary BBQ – CANA employees, sub-trades and their families experienced the magic of Camp Kindle firsthand during a company BBQ. Photos by Don Molyneaux Photography.

Spruce Meadows – CANA hosted families from the Kids Cancer Care community at their suite at the Spruce Meadows Masters Tournament.

CANA Stampede Event – After months of fundraising, Luke Simpson and Dwayne Dubois of CANA shaved their heads for children with cancer at CANA’s annual Stampede party.

High Hopes Challenge – CANA president Fabrizio Marinella took part in Kids Cancer Care’s High Hope Challenge and raised more than $20,000, making him the top fundraiser of the 15 corporate leaders who participated. Photos by Brangwyn Jones Photography.

Taylor was diagnosed with leukemia the year she was supposed to start grade one. She spent two and a half grueling years on treatment. Her story is one of many shared on special dedication boards at registration for Tour for Kids Alberta, a three-day cycling adventure through the Canadian Rockies, where participants fundraise to ride, with all proceeds to Kids Cancer Care.

These special boards each share a different story of a childhood cancer warrior, fondly known by Tour for Kids as ambassadors.

Grant was 15 when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Three weeks later he was in remission. However, the cancer would change to acute myeloid leukemia and, later that year, he was diagnosed with skin leukemia. He passed away six months after his first diagnosis.

Liam. Stephen. Briony. Alexander. Dominic.

These are the childhood cancer warriors that are top of mind for the cyclists on the epic cycling tour through the Canadian Rockies. Each day of riding, a special dedication to one of these children affected by cancer.

It’s always been about the kids for Jeff Rushton, Founder, Chair and Very Passionate Volunteer at the Coast to Coast Against Cancer Foundation. Fourteen years ago, Jeff and some friends started Coast to Coast, the Ontario-based organization behind Tour for Kids. “When we started this foundation, we really wanted one thing: we wanted to make a meaningful difference in the lives of kids and their families going through childhood cancer,” Jeff says.

And that’s exactly what they have done in the 11 years since Jeff and his team first brought Tour for Kids to Alberta. In total, Tour for Kids has raised $2.5 million dollars for Kids Cancer Care. Through various fundraising events and programs, including the Sears National Ride, Inside Ride, and of course, Tour for Kids, they have raised over $35 million dollars for 50 childhood cancer charities and hospitals across Canada.

Their model is low cost. Hard costs are covered by corporate sponsors. That means Coast to Coast has always given 100 per cent of donations raised to the charities they support.

But what makes the event stand out is the people.

Jeff himself is there at the crack of dawn to greet the riders on the first day and then he joins them on the ride, for every single kilometre. At the end of the weekend, Jeff is there to hand out medals and pat each rider on the back.

“The ride takes you to the edge physically and spiritually,” Jeff says, “as you push beyond your own limits and listen to the story of the child you’re riding for.”

Kids Cancer Care event coordinator Kelsey Morrison adds, “It’s a real team effort. The riders, the organizers, the volunteers. No one is afraid of getting dirty or lending a hand to make the weekend the best experience possible for everyone.”

Kelly Raymond, Kids Cancer Care volunteer assistant agrees, “There is so much comradery. There is a real human, powerful side to the event, almost everyone has a connection to childhood cancer or has been touched by these kids.”

After the ride starts, volunteers start to pack up the dedication boards at registration.

“I need to get a picture of Grant’s dedication board before they load up,” says Mel, the volunteer co-lead, working with Kelly to oversee the 84 volunteers who work the event. Mel, her daughter Ali and husband Jim have volunteered on the ride for six years. She is also Grant’s mom.

She’s not alone. Liam’s mom has been a rider two years in a row. Stephen’s dad rides too. Briony’s mom normally rides, but volunteered this year due to an injury. Briony’s sister is the volunteer massage therapist who organizes all the massage therapists and RMTs for the weekend. Alexander’s mom and dad are part of the volunteer crew. And Dominic’s aunt rides every year.

On the second night of the ride, participants stay at Kids Cancer Care’s Camp Kindle where all the kids go each summer thanks to Tour for Kids. First, the counsellors speak of their own experiences as a childhood cancer survivor and sibling. Then, the Inkpen family, a family whose son Foster is currently undergoing treatment, speaks at dinner, reminding everyone in the room where their fundraising dollars go.

“Camp Kindle is our family’s island where we dock,” says Candace Inkpen, standing before a crowd of cyclists. “Knowing that both kids were in amazing hands at Camp Kindle helped me let go. Just a little. And that is because of you all.”

And in that crowd is Taylor. Now 28 and a registered nurse, she rides every year with her dad Dean Wheatley.

“Taylor Wheatley is amazing,” says Kelly. “She and her dad ride all weekend and the rest of the Wheatley family volunteers. And then on Monday, after riding hundreds of kilometres all weekend, she’s at SunRise camp, volunteering for a week with our youngest campers.”

That’s what the ride is for so many. Jeff sums it up best, “We give a lot, but we get so much out of it. It’s been an incredible journey…and we’re just beginning.”

Thank you Coast to Coast Against Cancer Foundation, Jeff, Taylor, Mel, and all the volunteers, sponsors and cyclists who make this event possible. By doing so, you make an invaluable impact in the lives of children affected by cancer and their families

“Tundra is the ideal community partner.” – Jill Miller

When you think of tundra, you typically think: “Vast rocky terrain in the frozen hinterlands—cold winds and permafrost.” But there’s another kind of Tundra in North America that’s a whole lot warmer, a lot more fun and definitely a lot more charitable.

Tundra Process Solutions Ltd. joined Kids Cancer Care in 2010 as a community fundraising partner and has given with gusto ever since. Specializing in industrial equipment solutions for companies across western Canada, Tundra manages to build fun and friendship into everything they do. Their work-hard, play-hard attitude has seen the company grow 50 per cent every year for the past decade. They are the seventh fastest growing company in Canada today.

Fortunately for Kids Cancer Care, successful fundraising seems to come as naturally to Tundra as hard work and serious play.

“We’ve always been a community-minded company,” says Iggy Domagalski, partner and chief operating officer at Tundra. “And a few years ago, we were looking for a charity to support. It had to be a local children’s charity that could really engage our staff and give them a chance to make a meaningful contribution. Kids Cancer Care was a perfect choice.”

Since then, Tundra has become a major fundraising force for children with cancer. They annually host ugly sweater days, curling bonspiels, indoor rock climbing events and Stampede ho-downs. With matching gifts from the company, Tundra’s 200-strong team has raised $100,000 for Kids Cancer Care.

Tundra has also donated significant amounts of time and equipment to a large heating project at Camp Kindle. Valued at $25,000, the new heating and ventilation systems will ensure our campers stay warm at night and provide a safe and warm indoor space where they can play all year long.

Their philanthropic spirit has not gone unnoticed. Giving at least one per cent of their profits to charity, Tundra is an official Imagine Caring Company.

“Tundra is an ideal community partner,” says Jill Miller, manager of community and signature fundraising events at Kids Cancer Care. “They have literally given across all areas of the foundation. And they’re amazing to work with.”

Tundra even manages to help Kids Cancer Care, while building up Tundra employees. They rented Camp Kindle for their 2015 staff teambuilding retreat, where any profit generated from the rental goes toward our cancer camp programs.

But that’s not all.

Iggy took part in the 2015 High Hopes Challenge, raising over $20,700 doubling his $10,000 fundraising goal, before he and the other challengers headed for Camp Kindle to master the challenge course with their kid coaches.

Iggy is also an active member of the Kids Cancer Care Board of Directors, where he is the volunteer chair of our fundraising committee. As a member of the board, Iggy and the other board members are responsible for the financial oversight and strategic direction of the foundation.

“When we came to Kids Cancer Care in 2010, we were looking for a partnership, something where we could be fully integrated with the charity’s mission,” says Iggy. “We originally chose Kids Cancer Care because they met certain criteria, but we stay because of who they are as an organization. We share the same culture of fun and our staff has really identified with their work and cause.”

Indeed, even children of Tundra staff are getting involved. In 2014, eight-year-old Kaydence asked her friends to donate money to Kids Cancer Care in lieu of birthday gifts. The daughter of Casi Simcoe, an accountant at Tundra, little Kaydence raised $110 to help kids with cancer.

And, of course, Tundra matched every dollar she raised.

“I ask myself sometimes in difficult moments: ‘What would Edyn do? How would Edyn handle this?’ I believe this is what Edyn would do. She would reach out and help others. To remember Edyn is to keep her spirit alive and this head shave in her name for other kids with cancer is the perfect way to do it.”

Those were the words of thirteen-year-old Cole Pederson, before the kickoff event for the Bishop Pinkham Junior High Shave Your Lid for a Kid® event in memory of one of his best friends, Edyn. In the coming weeks, our staff would find themselves both blown away by the fundraising support for Kids Cancer Care and overwhelmed by the sheer number of students whose heads we had to shave. We were given a window of two hours to shave or cut the hair of 100 students, teachers and parents. And we had to keep a gymnasium full of junior high students engaged in the event. The largest school event previous to this had less than half the participants. How were we going to make this happen?

Shave Your Lid for a Kid® show children facing cancer that they are not alone, all while raising vital funds for initiatives like research to change the course of the disease. “Shavees” as we call them come together in a community of support.

Our presenting sponsor of Shave Your Lid for a Kid®, Trico Homes, is very familiar with building communities. Founder Wayne Chiu has always known that his company is more than building the physical structure of a house.

Trico believes in building community. “When you build with us you quickly become part of the Trico family. We keep in touch with our homeowners and try to provide great incentives and opportunities for them to move up within Trico – from condos to semi-estate homes.” says Wanda Palmer, Vice President of Marketing for Trico Homes. “We also want to create housing options to meet the needs of all Calgarians. Trico recently broke ground on a new project that will provide new affordable and accessible living options in an inner city community. Social entrepreneurship is one of Wayne’s passions and this thinking has contributed to shaping the culture of Trico Homes.”

It was this passion that brought Wayne into his first meeting with Kids Cancer Care founder and CEO Christine McIver in 1999. After finding out that the children of two of his business contacts had been diagnosed with cancer, he knew he had to do something.

“Wayne wanted no fanfare. He just wanted to help,” says Christine. “One of his employees suggested doing a motorcycle ride to raise money. In the inaugural year of Ride for a Lifetime, Wayne sponsored every rider for $1000.” A Kids Cancer Care signature event for 10 years and now a third party fundraising initiative, the Ride for a Lifetime has since raised over $2.6 million for pediatric cancer research programs.

For almost two decades, Trico has been heavily involved behind the scenes in Kids Cancer Care’s growth. Trico Homes has been the presenting sponsor of the Shave Your Lid for a Kid® since its inception in 1999. After sponsoring Ride for a Lifetime for a number of years, when Kids Cancer Care began supporting childhood cancer research, Wayne committed to giving $100,000 a year to research. Trico then became the presenting sponsor of the Don, Joanne and the Coach Golf a Kid to Camp tournament. When Kids Cancer Care began exploring the possibility of running Camp Kindle as a social enterprise, the Trico Foundation gave Camp Kindle its first grant.

Christine says, “They gave us the courage to add the pillar of research to our organization, they gave us the courage to embark on a new signature event, Ride for a Lifetime, and the courage to start a social enterprise with Camp Kindle rentals. The impact of Trico Homes on Kids Cancer Care far surpasses their financial commitments. You don’t get a community without family and Trico is definitely a part of our family.”

You can always count on family to be there for you at every major milestone and event.

“Our staff really appreciate going out to volunteer at head shaves and the golf tournament,” says Wanda Palmer. “I send an email and almost immediately, the volunteer spots are filled.”

Wanda herself is one of these volunteers. Wanda volunteered to represent Trico Homes at a High Hopes Challenge, raising over $10,500 for Kids Cancer Care, and being paired with a bereaved sibling to experience a week of camp in one day.

Everyone at Trico Homes is given the chance to volunteer and participate. They mandate sending different staff, from all departments and seniority levels, to the Don, Joanne and the Coach Golf a Kid to Camp tournament each year. Everyone is given the chance to experience the Kids Cancer Care community.

So in April 2015, in the Bishop Pinkham gymnasium, when faced with the largest event in the 17-years of Shave Your Lid for a Kid®, there were some familiar faces in the crowd. As they always were, no matter the size of the event, Trico employees were there to help. We put them to work handing out goodies to all the shavees and we even encouraged them to partake in the flash mob!

Trico Homes knows how important volunteering and seeing the return on their social investment has on their employees. Kids Cancer Care is so grateful to Wayne, Wanda and the entire team at Trico Homes for their continued dedication to families affected by childhood cancer!

For most girls, the high school prom is about the dress. What colour? What length? What cut? What style? Not for Gizelle de Guzman. For Gizelle, the occasion of her high school prom was the perfect moment to take a stand and make a statement that very few of us would have the hutzpah or charisma to pull off.

And so, dressed in a vintage-style ball gown, befitting a princess, Gizelle arrived at her prom totally bald.

Her reasons for going bald are perfectly simple.

“I have been affected by cancer in so many ways,” Gizelle explains. “I lost my mom to cancer when I was nine and then my stepmother followed six years later.”

Gizelle also has friends, of all ages, who have a history of cancer.

“Three years ago I met this girl, she was the most beautiful girl ever and she had cancer and her boyfriend broke up with her because of cancer: No hair,” Gizelle says. “It was her graduation and no one was asking her to prom.”

Shortly after, Gizelle had a dream that inspired her to show solidarity for young people with cancer. She’d dreamt about a bald girl in a beautiful grown on prom night. “How would it feel to go to prom without hair?” she wondered.

Gizelle couldn’t shake the memory of that dream and, three years later, she found herself registering her online profile for a Shave Your Lid for a Kid® event scheduled for June 23, 2016—just two days before her high school prom.

“I wanted to be able to say that someone is there for you and that the presence of your hair should not control how you feel walking across that stage,” says Gizelle. “I know I’ll be judged. It’s human nature, but that’s kind of the point.”

Gizelle’s courageous move didn’t only raise a few eyebrows at the prom; it raised a lot of awareness and attention locally and farther afield. Several local media outlets ran stories on Gizelle and people now stop her on the street to talk.

“Since I shaved my head, at least 10 strangers have asked me why my head is shaved, or if I have cancer, or just simply if I’m doing better,” says Gizelle. “It’s crazy how this simple change in my appearance can bring out sympathy in others.” This is precisely the response she was hoping to get. For Gizelle, shaving her head was all about the buzz it would create.

“I’ve wanted to do this for a long time,” she says. “I needed to do this.”

Originally from the Philippines, Gizelle and her family moved to Cremona, Alberta when she was 12. Fitting in was tough and she became the victim of small-town schoolyard bullies. She started to withdraw and became increasingly isolated and depressed.

Gizelle still struggles with post traumatic stress related to the extensive trauma and loss she’s experienced, but she is determined to get through it and, right now, she’s thriving.

Thanks to your support, Gizelle was able to find friendship and support at SunHaven, a camp program for young people who have a parent with a history of cancer.

“All of my friends, I met at Camp Kindle,” says Gizelle. “I met Melanie, my best friend, my first year at camp and we’ve been through thick and thin together. She’s honestly my sister now and her mom—well, she’s mine too. I have so many friends that I’ve kept in touch with from camp and it’s definitely kept me mentally strong. It’s a huge gigantic support system.”

Gizelle’s experiences at SunHaven inspired her to make Kids Cancer Care the recipient of her shave fundraising event.

“The first year, I was very frightened,” says Gizelle, recalling her first SunHaven camp experience. “I had all these negative thoughts that people were going to judge me, that I wouldn’t be accepted at camp, but it only took a couple hours to feel at home and now I look forward to it throughout the year. I’m honestly heartbroken knowing that it was my last year at camp, but I’m going to try and be a counsellor there one day. Camp’s taught me to see the good in people.”

In addition to raising more than $1,700 for Kids Cancer Care, Gizelle is hopeful that she may find some personal resolution through her courageous and compassionate decision to shave her head for prom night.

“Maybe it will provide some closure around my mother,” she says. “I like to think that by doing this, it was like she was there with me on prom night.”

Either way, the 17-year-old singer-songwriter is looking forward to a fresh start this fall at Dalhousie University, when she begins studies in accounting.

Thank you Gizelle! You are an inspiration and role model for so many. Thank you for holding your head high and taking a stand for young people with cancer.

Gizelle’s photo gallery

He may only be five, but Kiptyn Claypool already understands an important life principle. He understands the magic of giving.

Kiptyn was only three when he was diagnosed with Wilms’ tumour and the little wooden train set his parents gave him assumed a whole new meaning in his life.

“He played with his train set non-stop during his cancer treatments,” says Kiptyn’s mother Alicia Bjarnason. “I think it helped focus his attention and give him a sense of order and control at a really scary time.”

When Kiptyn decided he’d outgrown his train set, Alicia knew it was a turning point in her son’s life. What she didn’t know is that he had resolved to give it away—and not to just any child. It had to be a child with cancer.

“I want another kid with cancer to have my trains, so they can help him like they helped me when I had cancer,” he told his mother.

It took Mary Phillipo, Kids Cancer Care’s family liaison, about a minute to find the ideal beneficiary of Kiptyn’s generosity—little Colby Kucharuk.

Diagnosed at 20 months with high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia, three-year-old Colby also knows cancer firsthand. And, like Kiptyn, he loves trains.

Mary arranged to have the two boys meet at Kids Cancer Care. It was a match made in heaven. The two boys became instant friends, playing with the trains they both love.

“I want another kid with cancer to have my trains, so they can help him like they helped me when I had cancer.” ~ Kiptyn

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