Donor Stories

Envision Financial Gets Kids Wired
Children of cancer patients can soon connect with online support, thanks to a gift from Envision Financial Credit Union.

“Is cancer contagious?” “Is it my fault my mother got cancer?” “Will I get cancer when I’m older?”. These are just some of the questions children typically ask when a parent is diagnosed with cancer. Kids can also become confused, scared and lonely. Most cancer support groups are for adults with cancer and not for their children. Since 1992, when the BC Cancer Agency developed the Children’s Club support program and a workbook called Time for Me, it has helped children living with cancer in their families learn about the disease, and how it’s treated, and about the impact of a cancer diagnosis. “Young children can’t use a support group in the same way as an adult,” says Gina MacKenzie, practice leader for the Patient and Family Counselling Department at the Agency’s Lower Mainland Centres. “Our program is unique in that it focuses on using more expressive therapies rather than talk therapies. Kids respond to art and music therapy. We have found the program to be very well-received.” Up until now, the program has only been available at the Agency’s centres in Kelowna, Surrey, Vancouver and Victoria.

But now, thanks to a significant donation from B.C.-based credit union Envision Financial, the program will soon be available on the Internet. “Not everybody can come to a cancer centre,” says Gina. “They may live far away. They may not want to be in a support group – they may prefer anonymity — or it may not be the best time for their families to visit a centre. And kids have an affinity for computers.” Envision donated $185,000 through its Envision Charitable Foundation to A Campaign for Health Care Excellence, a partnership of the BC Cancer Foundation and the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation that is raising funds to support the new Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre. “I was immediately touched by the Time for Me program,” says Gord Huston, Envision Financial’s president and CEO. “Envision Charitable Foundation’s mission is to support initiatives that enhance the quality of life in our communities. We’re so glad to be part of such an important project.”

Huston was diagnosed with colon cancer last year and has since recovered. Both he and his wife lost a parent early on to cancer, and the couple has been committed to raising money for cancer research ever since, including organizing an annual fundraising gala to benefit cancer research. “Kids really need this service,” he adds.

The online program will teach coping and problem-solving skills, as well as the skills children need to express their thoughts and concerns. Internet networking tools will enable them to connect with other children in similar circumstances. And parents will be able to access tools to help them talk more openly with their children about cancer. “Cancer is a family affair,” notes Karen Janes, co-author of the Time for Me workbook and co-facilitator of the Children’s Club program at the BC Cancer Agency’s Vancouver Centre. “Life changes for each member when someone in the family is diagnosed with cancer.

“Programs such as Time for Me have the potential to change the way people think and reflect on their experience of cancer,” she adds. “In return, I have learned from what families have shared with us when they have invited us into their lives.” Thanks to the generosity of Envision Financial, children and families all over the province will soon be able to connect with vital support.