Alberta Children's Hospital

Contact: (403) 955-7256
Population served: Children who are 2 years off treatment
Mission:

Family centred child health programs, specialized life-saving equipment and advanced pediatric research and education at the Alberta Children's Hospital.

Hematology Transplant Program details:

Nurse Coordinator: Lisa Niotis
Clinic manager: Terri Lee Slykula
Medical team: Kathy Reynolds MD, Lucie Lafay-Cousins MD, Greg Guilcher, MD

The clinic meets Mondays and Thursdays. Sees patients once they are 2 years off treatment. Our multidisciplinary team consists of a pediatrician, family physician, neuro-oncologist, neuro-psychologist, social worker, endocrine consultant, and 3 registered nurses. We do accept patients treated at other centres, but we require a transfer from the previous treatment centre.

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation/SuperSibs

Contact: 610-649-3034
Population served: Children with cancer and their families, caregivers, young adults, healthcare professionals and researchers related to childhood cancer
Mission:

To raise money for and awareness of childhood cancer causes—especially research into new treatments and cures—and to encourage and empower others, especially children, to get involved and make a difference for children with cancer.

• Childhood Cancer Symposium is a free annual conference for families of kids with cancer.
• Travel Fund offers assistance to families who need to financial assistance for childhood cancer treatment at select medical institutions across the U.S. May include help with transportation, lodging, and meals. Applications must be received on behalf of a social worker or another medical representative. 
• Childhood Cancer Treatment Journal- ALSF provides a free treatment journal (hard copy or online) to families of childhood cancer. Helps parents stay organized and keep track of important information.
• Hero Ambassador Program involves family members of childhood cancer heroes who choose to get more involved with ALSF.
• Parent to Parent Network provides the opportunity for families to connect with one another through emails, phone calls, or in person.
• Childhood Cancer Database Project aims to better understand how childhood cancer affects families. The goal is to measure the personal and economic impact of childhood cancer and find ways to support families through the journey.
• The ALSF SuperSibs program provides tools to help siblings, online activities, the opportunity to be an ambassador, and parent resources.

Canadian Blood and Marrow Transplant Group

Contact: (604) 874-4944
Population served: Patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals
Mission:

The Canadian Blood and Marrow Transplant Group (CBMTG) is a member-led, national, multidisciplinary organization providing leadership and promoting excellence in patient care, research and education in the field of blood and marrow transplant.

Mission: The Canadian Blood and Marrow Transplant Group is the voice of experts working in the field of blood and marrow transplant.

Canadian Cancer Survivor Network

Contact: info@survivornet.ca
Population served: Patients and survivors
Other language(s) : French
Mission:

• To promote health by conducting educational activities for cancer patients, caregivers, and survivors on the physical and financial impacts, and other relevant topics, associated with managing cancer.
• To promote health by providing individuals living with and survivors of cancer, and their caregivers, with access to related counselling, information, or support group programs.
• To advance education by organizing and participating in conferences and speaking engagements to the public on topics related to cancer.
• To advance education by conducting research on cancer patients’ and survivors’ physical, emotional, and financial well-being and disseminating the results of the research to the public.

Cancer Chat

Population served: Patients living anywhere in Canada who are undergoing cancer treatment or living with cancer related challenges after treatment.
Mission:

Since 2007, Cancer Chat has been providing free and professional-led online support groups for Canadians affected by cancer, including patients, survivors and family members.

Cancer Chat groups are open to patients living anywhere in Canada who are undergoing cancer treatment or living with cancer related challenges after treatment. Groups are also available for family members or friends caring for someone with cancer. These groups meet once a week for 90 minutes, for about 10 to 12 weeks, in a live "chat" room on the Internet. 

Cancer Recovery Foundation of Canada

Contact: 866-753-0303
Population served: Children and adults in Canada diagnosed with cancer
Mission:

To assist children and adults who are facing the hardships of a cancer diagnosis; to improve mental, social and emotional well-being while helping to minimize the concerns that cancer can cause.

• Camp Scholarship Program allows children in remission to reconnect with friends and activities by providing funding for a camp of their choice (sports, music, art, science, horseback riding, water skiing or other activities)
• Helping Hands Fund provides emergency bridge payments directly to utility companies and landlords, ensuring that each child has a warm, safe place to call home while recovering from cancer.

Cancer Support Community (CSC)

Contact: 888-793-9355
Population served: People affected by cancer in the U.S.
Other language(s) : Spanish
Mission:

To provide support, education and hope to people affected by cancer; to ensure that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action, and sustained by community.

• Offers support through a network of more than 50 local affiliates and 100 satellite locations
• The Living Room - an online support community where you can connect with others 24/7
• Cancer Discussion Boards are an online resource available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and cover a variety of topics. Receive advice, support and offer tips to other people going through similar cancer experiences.
• Personal Webpage - create a private, personal webpage to help keep family and friends involved and informed. Blog, post photos or videos, and share your calendar with the people who are close to you; they can send comments and offer support or respond to your request for help as well.
• Group Loop – an online community designed to address the needs of teens (13-19) touched by cancer to connect to find support, education and hope while dealing with a cancer diagnosis.
• Frankly Speaking About Cancer – Offers workshops, publications and digital content
• Cancer Transition – an evidence-based programs for cancer survivors who have completed their treatment (in partnership with LIVESTRONG)
• Open to Options – helps patients identify important questions about treatment options based upon personal needs.

Cancer View Canada

Contact: 877 360-1665
Population served: Canadians affected by cancer
Mission:

Cancer View Canada connects Canadians to online services, information and resources for cancer control.  It is an ever-evolving portal that brings together resources for cancer prevention, screening, treatment, and supportive, palliative and end-of-life care.

Through its collaborative tools, Cancer View Canada also links people in the Canadian cancer community to each other.

Chai Lifeline Canada

Contact: 877-chai-life
Population served: Jewish children (infancy through age 21) worldwide, diagnosed with a life-threatening illness as well as those who have serious chronic or genetic conditions
Mission:

Chai Lifeline meets the nonmedical needs of seriously ill children, their families and communities. Its mission is to enhance lives through programs and services.

• Offers Camp Simcha - a sleep-away camp for children with cancer and other hematological illnesses
• Offers Camp Simcha Special - designed to meet the medical and social needs of children with more than 60 diagnoses

Childhood Cancer Canada Foundation

Contact: 800-489-9812
Population served: Children with cancer and their families in Canada
Mission:

Dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with cancer and their families by funding research and providing support and resources.

• Provides Family Support Kit with information and support for families of newly diagnosed children
• Provides post-secondary scholarships to childhood cancer survivors
• Offers a benevolent fund to assist with funeral expenses
• Provides support groups for parents and survivors
• Offers National Teen Network which allows diagnosed teens to get in touch with teen survivors who have experienced a similar type of cancer - parents can also speak to a teen or the teen's parents
• Offers national newsletters, eNews and Teleconference services

Childhood Cancer Guides

Population served: Children with cancer and their families; survivors of childhood cancer
Mission:

Childhood Cancer Guides is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to serve the childhood cancer community by publishing books that provide:

Clear explanations of the various types of childhood cancer
Descriptions of state-of-the-art treatments for childhood cancers
Emotional support for every member of the family
Access to helpful resources

Our books are a mix of accurate medical information that is reviewed by renowned experts in pediatric oncology and true stories—practical, poignant, moving, funny—from hundreds of children with cancer, their siblings, and their parents. Our guides empower families with knowledge, practical suggestions, emotional support, and helpful resources. 

Children's Wish Canada

Contact: 1-800-700-4437
Population served: Children under age 18 with a life-threatening illness, in Canada.
Mission:

Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada is the largest and only all-Canadian wish granting charity dedicated to granting wishes to Canadian children between the ages of 3 and 17 who are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. For more than 30 years, Children’s Wish has worked tirelessly to grant heartfelt wishes to more than 25,000 children and their families – that’s three wishes each and every day, all year long!

Children’s Wish has chapter offices and professional staff in every province, and each wish family is assigned a dedicated Wish Coordinator who is able to personally and carefully structure each heartfelt wish experience to meet the particular needs of the child and their family. Travel wishes include all siblings 21 years and under living in the same household, and families travel worry-free thanks to exclusive Blue Cross insurance.

 

CLL Patient Advocacy Group

Contact: cllpag.canada@gmail.com
Population served: Patient and survivor of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL).
Other language(s) : French
Mission:

Advocate and provide education to improve access to health care that will extend the lives of Canadians affected by Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) and Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (SLL).

CureSearch for Children's Cancer

Contact: 800-458-6223
Population served: Children with cancer and their families
Other language(s) : Spanish
Mission:

To fund and support targeted and innovative children's cancer research with measurable results, and be the authoritative source of information and resources for all those affected by children's cancer.

• Website offers information about tests and procedures, treatment options, medications, side effects and many other issues.

Kids with Cancer Society

Contact: 780-496-2459
Population served: Children with cancer
Mission:

To identify and meet the needs of children with cancer and their families from the time of diagnosis throughout treatment and beyond, through support, clinical programs and research.

Make-A-Wish Canada

Contact: 888-822-9474
Population served: Children with life-threatening medical conditions in Canada between the ages of 3 and 18 years
Other language(s) : French
Mission:

To grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.

• Grants magical wishes to children in need from coast-to-coast
• Referrals can come from family, friends, medical personnel, teachers or social workers
• Immediate family may be included in the wish experience
• The child’s doctor will be contacted for authorization that the child meets the medical criteria for a wish
• The child cannot have received a prior wish from any wish-granting organization.

Starlight Children’s Foundation

Contact: 310-479-1212
Population served: Children and teens with chronic or life-threatening medical conditions in the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Israel, Australia, New Zealand; teens ages 13-20 with medical issues worldwide and their teen siblings
Mission:

Partners with experts to create programs that help brighten the lives of seriously ill children and their families.

• Starbright World is an online social network for teens with chronic and life-threatening medical conditions, and their teen siblings.
• Partner facilities offer in-hospital programs such as parties and entertainment
• Check with your child’s treatment center to see if a Starlight Comfort Kit is available (backpack filled with toys, games, books).

The National Children’s Cancer Society

Contact: 314-241-1600 or 800-532-6459
Population served: Children with cancer and their families, caregivers, survivors, health professionals
Mission:

To improve the quality of life for children with cancer and their families worldwide.

• Pediatric Oncology Program (POP) provides financial and emotional support to families throughout the United States during their child’s cancer treatment. Financial assistance for lodging, meals, transportation, health insurance and medical expenses not covered by insurance. (See website for specific financial eligibility criteria.)
• The "Beyond the Cure" Survivorship Program (BTC) provides the most up-to-date information on survivorship to help survivors and their families adapt and celebrate life after diagnosis
• Online community provides a private network for parents, caregivers and survivors of childhood cancer to connect, share and offer support to one another
• Provides resources to healthcare professionals involved in the treatment of childhood cancer and the many challenges associated with survivorship.
• Global Outreach Program partners with pharmaceutical companies to distribute donated cancer treatment drugs and medical supplies around the world.

Wellspring Cancer Support Foundation

Contact: 416-961-1928
Population served: All cancer patients, caregivers, survivors, health professionals in Canada. Locations in Ontario and Alberta.
Other language(s) : Translation services available by phone
Mission:

Wellspring provides a wide range of cancer support programs and services, at no charge, to meet the emotional, social, psychological and informational needs of people living with cancer and those who care for them.

• Provides information about helpful government programs as well as programs that assist in preparing people for returning to work
• Provides support through groups, short-term counseling and peer volunteers.