Social Support
Childcan’s programs help build community, facilitating the sharing of experience through connection with other Childcan families. They help to re-establish normalcy under circumstances that have caused an upheaval in a family’s and a child’s life. If your child has been diagnosed or is receiving treatment at Children’s Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre or Windsor Regional Hospital’s Paediatric Oncology Satellite Clinic, and you would like to access any of these supports, please contact our office at 519-685-3500 or info@childcan.com. Our family support team is here for you.
Educational Support
Because each Childcan family is unique, we offer personalized support that creates solutions for every family, and every situation. This includes information about navigating the new normal, and school, as one of the mainstays of a child’s life, is an important part of this. Treatment can cause significant disruptions to a child’s learning and the goal of our Education, Volunteer Tutoring and Early Years Programs is to help a child successfully catch up to their peers and maximize their potential.
An important part of ensuring success is working with teachers so they understand the unique challenges that can be present for childhood cancer survivors. Experts from Childcan and Children's Hospital spent some time with student teachers, explaining how cancer and its treatment can affect children's learning and school success. Two videos were created from this session which provide information which could be valuable to educators and parents in helping their children succeed. View these videos on our Video Resources page.
Volunteer Tutoring Program
The Volunteer Tutoring Program is a no-cost tutoring program for students in grades 1 through 10 who are off treatment and back in school. The tutoring targets mathematics and/or English as well as offering homework assistance, helping students to catch up on schooling missed during treatment. Tutors are trained, qualified educators – retired, working and student teachers, principals and early childhood educators – who volunteer their time and work one-on-one with the child. Children in need of support are referred to Childcan by Children’s Hospital’s School Liaison. Our Volunteer Tutoring Program Coordinator then makes every effort to find a suitable tutor close to the child.
If you are an educator who can volunteer your time, please reach out or complete this form. We have particular needs for:
gr. 4 student in Chatham
gr. 3 student in West Lorne
gr. 2 student in Stoney Point
Early Years Program
The Early Years Program is designed to help young children to overcome delays resulting from their cancer and prepare them for school entry or re-entry. The program's focus is on social, emotional, literacy, numeracy and motor skills development.
To provide at-home assistance, Occupational Therapy students from Western University have helped us to put together a series of School Skills Videos which help early learners to improve their handwriting, memory, attention and other skills. These helpful videos offer tips to help parents work with their children, and can be viewed on our Video Resources page.
Dolly Parton Imagination Library
In partnership with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, all of our on- and off-treatment children will receive a book each month, delivered directly to their door, until they reach the age of five. The learning opportunities from these storybooks can be maximized using the guidelines and suggestions our dedicated volunteer educators have developed.
Family Fun Days
At various points throughout the year, Childcan organizes family events and activities to provide important social support and connection and allow kids to be kids and families to have time together, away from cancer. These events have included our:
Annual holiday parties in London and Windsor; and
Outings to local attractions such as Kustermans Berry Farm, or Pepe’s Pumpkin Patch.
As plans are announced, events and activities will be listed on our website and shared through our social media channels, email and e-newsletters.
Information and Resources
Families whose children are diagnosed and living with cancer are always seeking information to better understand the disease and their options. Knowledge can be empowering, but too often searches reveal inaccurate or irrelevant information which can be hard to distinguish. Our family support staff help steer families in the right direction when looking for support agencies, existing government programs, or credible resources.
Advocacy and Awareness
Working in collaboration with individuals and organizations locally, regionally, provincially and nationally, Childcan advocates for children with cancer and supports awareness-raising activities during September, officially recognized as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and throughout the year. We encourage our families and supporters to share our social media posts and to proudly “glow gold” during September (and year-round).
Through our online store, we have different ways to show support including gold ribbon magnets and pins, gold ribbon and branded clothing, and other items. All proceeds help us to provide our programs and services.