ways you can help
how to help
1
2
3
YOUR GIFTS AT WORK, TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF CHILDREN WITH CANCER FALL 2017 ISSUE
4
kidscancercare.ab.ca
5
SHAVE
DANCE
CELEBRATE
DONATE
JOIN
Show moral support for kids who lose their hair to chemo by shaving your lid and raising funds.
Dine and dance at our annual Parents’ Quest for the Cure gala and support children’s cancer research.
Celebrate and help give kids with cancer a lifetime of birthdays, by asking for donations in lieu of gifts for your birthday
Make a one-time gift or join our League of Super Heroes Monthly Giving Program. Every dollar counts.
Follow us on social media and help us spread the word.
More friends, more fun, more camp
new & notable
As demand for summer camp grows, our camp team gets more creative, juggling schedules to find ways to serve more children. We’re pleased to report that in the summer of 2018, we will be increasing the total number of camper spots at Camp Kindle by 90 — from 360 to 450. Here’s how we’re doing it. Instead of designating three weeks to SunMaker and two weeks to SunHaven, all campers, SunMaker and SunHaven alike, will be able to choose from a total of five weeks to find the best week for their family’s schedule.
kidscancercare.ab.ca
SunMaker campers (children affected by childhood cancer) and SunHaven campers (children affected by a parent’s cancer) will have the chance to go to Camp Kindle together and enjoy the chance to foster more friendships and support. Sharing experiences and building memories together, these campers may learn and grow from each other as they battle cancer from their unique positions.
Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta is a Registered Canadian Charity #89940 9171 RR0001.
RETURN UNDELIVERABLE ADDRESSES TO:
Telephone Facsimilie Toll Free
403 216 9210 403 216 9215 888 554 2267
While the medical needs of SunMaker and SunHaven are unique, many of the complex socio-emotional needs are similar. They’re all kids with big worries and they need a chance to get outdoors, get active and make friends. Please visit kidscancercare.ab.ca in the New Year to learn more about our camp program offerings next summer.
Register for our programs and fundraising events at kidscancercare.ab.ca
Canadian Publications Agreement #40049602 Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta 609 14 St NW, Suite 302 Calgary, AB T2N 2A1
Different registration forms and medical forms will still be necessary, so we can provide specialized care for each child. Our priority system will also remain in effect, i.e., children on active treatment and children who have a parent on active treatment will be priority one.
JESSICA'S LEGACY How, with your support, the Heaton family is helping Dr. Marco Gallo and his team advance glioblastoma research
power of you
Don't give up As we say goodbye to Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, I find myself thinking about my son Derek and his battle with cancer. For five years, Derek woke up and fought this terrible disease. More often than not he had a smile on his face. I love that brave little boy and I miss him every day. He keeps me going. If Derek can wake up with a smile on his face, while losing everything – his ability to speak, his ability to walk, indeed, his very life – I can wake up with a smile on my face and courage in my heart to fight for children like him. I know it is a terrible battle for a child to fight. It is a terrible battle for a parent to witness. And it does not end when the treatments stop. But please don’t give up. Give it your all and we’ll give it our all here at Kids Cancer Care. It is my sincere hope that our programs may make your battle easier. Thank you to our loyal supporters who help us ease the pain and suffering of children with cancer. As a bereaved mother, I know how much your support means to families. If you haven’t already done so, please consider giving to our fall fundraising campaign. “Your greatness is not what you have, it is what you give,” so please give it your all.
research
CANA 75 for 75
When CANA partnered with Kids Cancer Care to celebrate its 75th 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 fundraiser, encouraging friends and family to donate to Kids Cancer Care in lieu of birthday gifts through our Give More Birthdays program. 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.”
Sincerely, Zoey Van Staalduine
Christine McIver, M.S.M., LLD (Hon), CFRE, Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Please give generously to our fall fundraising campaign. Our work depends on it. Visit kidscancercare.ab.ca to give today.
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.
Fabrizio Carinelli (right) with his kid coach Maeve at the 2017 High Hopes Challenge
You are offering hope for children with glioblastoma With your support, Calgary researchers are investigating an aggressive brain cancer with the hope of slowing – and one day stopping – its fatal progression.
Brangwyn Jones Photography
Unique Perspectives Photography
CEO message
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 of those kids to Camp Kindle next summer. Thank you CANA! Happy 75th Anniversary!”
(L-R) Kevin, Jessica, Lyndsay and Jake Heaton
“This work very much helps keep our hope alive and underscores for us that Jessica’s life was so incredibly special and meaningful.” — Lyndsay Heaton
Last year, Lyndsay and Kevin Heaton faced the unimaginable. After a year of aggressive cancer treatments, their daughter Jessica passed away just after her first birthday. Losing Jessica has been devastating for the Heaton family, but they are confident her short life will have purpose. When asked if they would consider donating her tumour to medical research, the Heatons knew exactly what that purpose was – to advance glioblastoma research for children like Jessica.
With your support, the Childhood Cancer Research Program has recruited a bright new cancer researcher to Calgary. Dr. Marco Gallo recently joined the Experimental and Applied Therapeutics research effort at the University of Calgary and Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Dr. Gallo is investigating the epigenetics and epigenomics of brain tumours, with a special emphasis on glioblastoma (GBM). GBM is a highly aggressive cancer that begins in the brain and almost always recurs after treatment. Most GBM patients do not live longer than a year after diagnosis and fewer than five per cent are alive after five years.
While their ultimate goal is to eradicate GBM altogether, their immediate goal is to turn GBM into a chronic illness – something that is no longer life-threatening, but requires life-long management. First, they must learn how to keep the cancer from growing and spreading. To do this, Dr. Gallo and his team are studying GBM samples from U of C’s Tumour Bank. Generously donated by families who have lost loved ones to glioblastoma, these tumour samples are vital to Dr. Gallo’s work. They are accelerating the progress of finding a cure. “We are so grateful for the families who have made the very emotional decision to donate tumours to support our research,” says Dr. Gallo. “We take this responsibility very seriously and we are determined to reduce the number of families who face this diagnosis and provide more options and more hope for the ones who do.” Knowing that researchers are working to help families like their own gives Lyndsay and Kevin hope. “Their fight is our fight and through Jessica and the wonderful researchers who work with her legacy, we’re able to have hope that someday other families won’t have to experience the loss of their children,” says Lyndsay. “This work very much helps keep our hope alive and underscores for us that Jessica’s life was so incredibly special and meaningful.”
Thank you for keeping hope alive
Dr. Gallo is hoping to change this. Studying the DNA structure of GBM cells, Dr. Gallo and his research team have discovered that GBM stem cells have a characteristic way of packaging their DNA. Armed with this knowledge, Dr. Gallo hopes to develop targeted drugs, capable of altering this DNA packaging to minimize, and one day prevent, the chances of relapse. Dr. Marco Gallo
Adapted with permission from the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation.
power of you
Don't give up As we say goodbye to Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, I find myself thinking about my son Derek and his battle with cancer. For five years, Derek woke up and fought this terrible disease. More often than not he had a smile on his face. I love that brave little boy and I miss him every day. He keeps me going. If Derek can wake up with a smile on his face, while losing everything – his ability to speak, his ability to walk, indeed, his very life – I can wake up with a smile on my face and courage in my heart to fight for children like him. I know it is a terrible battle for a child to fight. It is a terrible battle for a parent to witness. And it does not end when the treatments stop. But please don’t give up. Give it your all and we’ll give it our all here at Kids Cancer Care. It is my sincere hope that our programs may make your battle easier. Thank you to our loyal supporters who help us ease the pain and suffering of children with cancer. As a bereaved mother, I know how much your support means to families. If you haven’t already done so, please consider giving to our fall fundraising campaign. “Your greatness is not what you have, it is what you give,” so please give it your all.
research
CANA 75 for 75
When CANA partnered with Kids Cancer Care to celebrate its 75th 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 fundraiser, encouraging friends and family to donate to Kids Cancer Care in lieu of birthday gifts through our Give More Birthdays program. 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.”
Sincerely, Zoey Van Staalduine
Christine McIver, M.S.M., LLD (Hon), CFRE, Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Please give generously to our fall fundraising campaign. Our work depends on it. Visit kidscancercare.ab.ca to give today.
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.
Fabrizio Carinelli (right) with his kid coach Maeve at the 2017 High Hopes Challenge
You are offering hope for children with glioblastoma With your support, Calgary researchers are investigating an aggressive brain cancer with the hope of slowing – and one day stopping – its fatal progression.
Brangwyn Jones Photography
Unique Perspectives Photography
CEO message
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 of those kids to Camp Kindle next summer. Thank you CANA! Happy 75th Anniversary!”
(L-R) Kevin, Jessica, Lyndsay and Jake Heaton
“This work very much helps keep our hope alive and underscores for us that Jessica’s life was so incredibly special and meaningful.” — Lyndsay Heaton
Last year, Lyndsay and Kevin Heaton faced the unimaginable. After a year of aggressive cancer treatments, their daughter Jessica passed away just after her first birthday. Losing Jessica has been devastating for the Heaton family, but they are confident her short life will have purpose. When asked if they would consider donating her tumour to medical research, the Heatons knew exactly what that purpose was – to advance glioblastoma research for children like Jessica.
With your support, the Childhood Cancer Research Program has recruited a bright new cancer researcher to Calgary. Dr. Marco Gallo recently joined the Experimental and Applied Therapeutics research effort at the University of Calgary and Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Dr. Gallo is investigating the epigenetics and epigenomics of brain tumours, with a special emphasis on glioblastoma (GBM). GBM is a highly aggressive cancer that begins in the brain and almost always recurs after treatment. Most GBM patients do not live longer than a year after diagnosis and fewer than five per cent are alive after five years.
While their ultimate goal is to eradicate GBM altogether, their immediate goal is to turn GBM into a chronic illness – something that is no longer life-threatening, but requires life-long management. First, they must learn how to keep the cancer from growing and spreading. To do this, Dr. Gallo and his team are studying GBM samples from U of C’s Tumour Bank. Generously donated by families who have lost loved ones to glioblastoma, these tumour samples are vital to Dr. Gallo’s work. They are accelerating the progress of finding a cure. “We are so grateful for the families who have made the very emotional decision to donate tumours to support our research,” says Dr. Gallo. “We take this responsibility very seriously and we are determined to reduce the number of families who face this diagnosis and provide more options and more hope for the ones who do.” Knowing that researchers are working to help families like their own gives Lyndsay and Kevin hope. “Their fight is our fight and through Jessica and the wonderful researchers who work with her legacy, we’re able to have hope that someday other families won’t have to experience the loss of their children,” says Lyndsay. “This work very much helps keep our hope alive and underscores for us that Jessica’s life was so incredibly special and meaningful.”
Thank you for keeping hope alive
Dr. Gallo is hoping to change this. Studying the DNA structure of GBM cells, Dr. Gallo and his research team have discovered that GBM stem cells have a characteristic way of packaging their DNA. Armed with this knowledge, Dr. Gallo hopes to develop targeted drugs, capable of altering this DNA packaging to minimize, and one day prevent, the chances of relapse. Dr. Marco Gallo
Adapted with permission from the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation.
ways you can help
how to help
1
2
3
YOUR GIFTS AT WORK, TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF CHILDREN WITH CANCER FALL 2017 ISSUE
4
kidscancercare.ab.ca
5
SHAVE
DANCE
CELEBRATE
DONATE
JOIN
Show moral support for kids who lose their hair to chemo by shaving your lid and raising funds.
Dine and dance at our annual Parents’ Quest for the Cure gala and support children’s cancer research.
Celebrate and help give kids with cancer a lifetime of birthdays, by asking for donations in lieu of gifts for your birthday
Make a one-time gift or join our League of Super Heroes Monthly Giving Program. Every dollar counts.
Follow us on social media and help us spread the word.
More friends, more fun, more camp
new & notable
As demand for summer camp grows, our camp team gets more creative, juggling schedules to find ways to serve more children. We’re pleased to report that in the summer of 2018, we will be increasing the total number of camper spots at Camp Kindle by 90 — from 360 to 450. Here’s how we’re doing it. Instead of designating three weeks to SunMaker and two weeks to SunHaven, all campers, SunMaker and SunHaven alike, will be able to choose from a total of five weeks to find the best week for their family’s schedule.
kidscancercare.ab.ca
SunMaker campers (children affected by childhood cancer) and SunHaven campers (children affected by a parent’s cancer) will have the chance to go to Camp Kindle together and enjoy the chance to foster more friendships and support. Sharing experiences and building memories together, these campers may learn and grow from each other as they battle cancer from their unique positions.
Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta is a Registered Canadian Charity #89940 9171 RR0001.
RETURN UNDELIVERABLE ADDRESSES TO:
Telephone Facsimilie Toll Free
403 216 9210 403 216 9215 888 554 2267
While the medical needs of SunMaker and SunHaven are unique, many of the complex socio-emotional needs are similar. They’re all kids with big worries and they need a chance to get outdoors, get active and make friends. Please visit kidscancercare.ab.ca in the New Year to learn more about our camp program offerings next summer.
Register for our programs and fundraising events at kidscancercare.ab.ca
Canadian Publications Agreement #40049602 Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta 609 14 St NW, Suite 302 Calgary, AB T2N 2A1
Different registration forms and medical forms will still be necessary, so we can provide specialized care for each child. Our priority system will also remain in effect, i.e., children on active treatment and children who have a parent on active treatment will be priority one.
JESSICA'S LEGACY How, with your support, the Heaton family is helping Dr. Marco Gallo and his team advance glioblastoma research