Kids Candidly Spring 2022

YOUR GIFTS AT WORK, TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF CHILDREN WITH CANCER

ways you can help us

how to help

rebuild young lives during COVID and beyond

BE A MONTHLY BOLD & DONOR BEARD-I-FUL You can be a superhero in the life of a child with cancer. Your monthly gifts will add up over time and make a lasting impact in the lives of children with cancer.

You don’t have to lose your beard to raise funds!

Beautify it with colour or glitter, flora or shimmer on Father’s Day and raise funds through our Big Brave program.

CYCLE Your ride. Your way. Join us in the 2022 Kids Cancer Care Cycle Challenge, July 9 through 23.

Choose your distance and your destination. Raise a minimum of $1,000 and join us for the after party at Camp Kindle.

SPRING 2022 ISSUE

kidscancercare.ab.ca

VOLUNTEER CREATE YOUR LEGACY Give the gift of time. Tutors.

Camp counsellors.

One-to-one aides.

Event and office volunteers. We have a volunteer spot just for you!

Creating your legacy is easy and there is an option that’s right for everyone. Ask us for a copy of our legacy giving brochure today.

Contact Karen Kaufmann at 403 930 6953 or kkaufmann@kidscancercare.ab.ca to learn more.

Donate, register or learn more at kidscancercare.ab.ca today.

Cont. from page 3

Creating memorable experiences for sick children is no small thing. They are the memories that lift them up, the memories from which they draw strength when they return home to face the harsh realities of cancer treatments or the enduring long-term side effects of treatments. And, sadly, for some children, camp may be the last slice of childhood they will ever experience.

volunteers

Thank you, Nilly and all the volunteers and supporters, who make magical moments possible for children affected by cancer.

“To every child – I dream of a world where you can laugh, dance, sing, learn, live in peace and be happy.”

kidscancercare.ab.ca

Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta is a registered Canadian charity #89940 9171 RR0001.

Unique Perspectives Photography

Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta 5757 4 Street SE Calgary, Alberta T2H 1K8

Photos courtesy of Nilly unless otherwise noted.

—Malala Yousafzai

LEAVING A LEGACY

hope

volunteers

a legacy of hope created by you

A gift in your will can translate into big tax savings and new hope for children with cancer Unique Perspectives Photography

So welcome back! Have fun.

Celebrate old friends and make new ones. Embrace new adventures and discover new skills. Camp Kindle is a place of possibility. A place where you can do more than you ever thought possible. A source of strength and inspiration, a catalyst for courage and hope, and a place where you belong.

Sincerely,

Christine McIver, M.S.M., LLD (Hon), CFRE Founder and Chief Executive Officer

If you ask Nilufer (Nilly) Hasanova why she keeps coming back, after eight years of volunteering, her answer is clear: “It’s so fun! I love to see the kids year after year. It’s hard seeing kids so sick at the hospital. It’s so great to see them at camp having fun.”

At the time, Candace had only a handwritten will, and she knew it was time she updated it with a lawyer.

“Probably the number one reason people put off making their will is the cost,” says Candace. “When I saw the Canadian Free Wills Network in one of the newsletters, I reached out and filled out the form. I met with the lawyer, and they sent me a draft. It was a really simple process.

I totally recommend it to anyone.”

Candace Lenz and her son Cody Lenz.

“It was a really simple process. I totally recommend it to anyone.”

While her first reason for leaving —Candace a legacy gift was purely practical, the second reason was born of gratitude and genuine concern for families facing childhood cancer. In 2012, Candace’s 14-year-old son Cody was diagnosed with anaplastic medulloblastoma.

Early in their journey, Kids Cancer Care was there with Pizza Nights at the hospital and PEER exercise sessions to help Cody rebuild his strength. A year later,

Cody participated in the High Hopes Challenge and later enjoyed SunSeeker, our outdoor leadership camp for teens.

“Kids Cancer Care was the obvious choice,” says Candace. “They were there for us in the hospital and outside the hospital.”

Affectionately dubbed Paw Paw at camp because of her love of cats, Nilly admires the resilience of children at Camp Kindle.

“These kids go through so much pain and suffering, but at camp, they just let it go,” she says. “They’re so resilient. The first year I volunteered, there was a group of boys playing soccer and one little guy was called to take his medication. He instantly dropped everything, ran to the clinic, swallowed a gigantic “horse” pill, without batting an eye, and ran back to play soccer again. It didn’t even phase him. If I have a headache, I’m done for the day.”

Now 24 years old and 10 years cancerfree, Cody agrees: “ As a kid, you don’t expect to have your whole life turned upside down with a cancer diagnosis.

Having a group of kids to help you through that is important. SunSeeker was amazing.

We got to camp out and make our own food on the fire. Everything was a bit more rugged and outdoorsy. I loved it.”

This year, marks Cody’s 10-year cancerfree mark, and while there is cause for celebration, the late-effects of cancer continue to reverberate through his life.

He now has thyroid issues, but Cody doesn’t let it stop him. He’s planning a Big Brave fundraising event to mark the occasion.

Cancer is a lifelong journey that robs children of their childhoods and continues to steal from most survivors for the rest of their lives. Legacy gifts from individuals like Candace help ensure that Kids Cancer Care can be there for these young people for generations to come.

Thank you, Candace! With a gift in your will, you are building a legacy of love and hope for tomorrow’s children with cancer.

Growing up in Istanbul, Turkey, where volunteering is intricately woven into the fabric of the culture, Nilly appreciates the sense of community at Kids Cancer Care.

“I love the way Kids Cancer Care values their volunteers,” she says.

“There is sense of community and fun here. I volunteer for a few local causes, but Kids Cancer Care goes above and beyond. There’s a different energy at Kids Cancer Care.”

But the biggest draw for Nilly is seeing kids overcome the things that scare them.

“I remember this shy boy at Teen Camp once,” she says. “He had just come off treatment and isolation. He was dressed so cute in his Halloween costume. I could see he was nervous, so I got him up on the dance floor. Suddenly, there was a huge dance circle all around him, cheering him on, lifting him up.”

These are the memories that stay with Nilly and bring a smile to her face many years later.

Cont. on page 4

NILLY (PAW PAW) VOLUNTEER EXTRAORDINAIRE Don Molyneaux Photography

Camp Kindle is a special place. Not because of where it is or what it looks like, although the facilities are impressive and the setting beautiful.

It is special because of you—the kids and families who find friendship and healing there. It is special because of you—the passionate supporters— who make camp possible with generous gifts of time and money.

“The kids start off afraid to leave their parents, but they get on the bus and meet the volunteers and other kiddos and don’t look back again.”— Nilly

For Candace Lenz, leaving a gift in her will was a pragmatic decision.

Not only would it mean significant tax savings for her estate, but a new partnership between Kids Cancer Care and the Canadian Free Wills Network would mean she could have it written for free.

Photos on this page and front cover by Peridot and Poppy Digital.

As we reopen the gates of Camp Kindle, after two long years of COVID-adapted programming, I am thrilled that this magical place will once again be that “enchanted place” for hundreds of children affected by cancer in Alberta.

You are restoring childhoods at camp

“The first reason for leaving a gift in my will was the tax break. The donation offsets up to 100% of your income in the final year of life. Not only is it good for your children; it’s good for the charity too.” —Candace

“There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.” – Elizabeth Lawrence

childhoods created by you

Don Molyneaux Photography

CEO message

A registered nurse in neurology at the Alberta Children’s Hospital and a health inspector with Health Canada, Nilly is completing her Master’s in Public Policy.

Her thesis is investigating the impact of Alberta Rehabilitation Services on

immigrant populations with long-haul COVID. Her ultimate goal is to be in a position to influence public health policy one day with an eye to improving access and ensuring equity for vulnerable populations.

hope

volunteers

a legacy of hope created by you

A gift in your will can translate into big tax savings and new hope for children with cancer Unique Perspectives Photography

So welcome back! Have fun.

Celebrate old friends and make new ones. Embrace new adventures and discover new skills. Camp Kindle is a place of possibility. A place where you can do more than you ever thought possible. A source of strength and inspiration, a catalyst for courage and hope, and a place where you belong.

Sincerely,

Christine McIver, M.S.M., LLD (Hon), CFRE Founder and Chief Executive Officer

If you ask Nilufer (Nilly) Hasanova why she keeps coming back, after eight years of volunteering, her answer is clear: “It’s so fun! I love to see the kids year after year. It’s hard seeing kids so sick at the hospital. It’s so great to see them at camp having fun.”

At the time, Candace had only a handwritten will, and she knew it was time she updated it with a lawyer.

“Probably the number one reason people put off making their will is the cost,” says Candace. “When I saw the Canadian Free Wills Network in one of the newsletters, I reached out and filled out the form. I met with the lawyer, and they sent me a draft. It was a really simple process.

I totally recommend it to anyone.”

Candace Lenz and her son Cody Lenz.

“It was a really simple process. I totally recommend it to anyone.”

While her first reason for leaving —Candace a legacy gift was purely practical, the second reason was born of gratitude and genuine concern for families facing childhood cancer. In 2012, Candace’s 14-year-old son Cody was diagnosed with anaplastic medulloblastoma.

Early in their journey, Kids Cancer Care was there with Pizza Nights at the hospital and PEER exercise sessions to help Cody rebuild his strength. A year later,

Cody participated in the High Hopes Challenge and later enjoyed SunSeeker, our outdoor leadership camp for teens.

“Kids Cancer Care was the obvious choice,” says Candace. “They were there for us in the hospital and outside the hospital.”

Affectionately dubbed Paw Paw at camp because of her love of cats, Nilly admires the resilience of children at Camp Kindle.

“These kids go through so much pain and suffering, but at camp, they just let it go,” she says. “They’re so resilient. The first year I volunteered, there was a group of boys playing soccer and one little guy was called to take his medication. He instantly dropped everything, ran to the clinic, swallowed a gigantic “horse” pill, without batting an eye, and ran back to play soccer again. It didn’t even phase him. If I have a headache, I’m done for the day.”

Now 24 years old and 10 years cancerfree, Cody agrees: “ As a kid, you don’t expect to have your whole life turned upside down with a cancer diagnosis.

Having a group of kids to help you through that is important. SunSeeker was amazing.

We got to camp out and make our own food on the fire. Everything was a bit more rugged and outdoorsy. I loved it.”

This year, marks Cody’s 10-year cancerfree mark, and while there is cause for celebration, the late-effects of cancer continue to reverberate through his life.

He now has thyroid issues, but Cody doesn’t let it stop him. He’s planning a Big Brave fundraising event to mark the occasion.

Cancer is a lifelong journey that robs children of their childhoods and continues to steal from most survivors for the rest of their lives. Legacy gifts from individuals like Candace help ensure that Kids Cancer Care can be there for these young people for generations to come.

Thank you, Candace! With a gift in your will, you are building a legacy of love and hope for tomorrow’s children with cancer.

Growing up in Istanbul, Turkey, where volunteering is intricately woven into the fabric of the culture, Nilly appreciates the sense of community at Kids Cancer Care.

“I love the way Kids Cancer Care values their volunteers,” she says.

“There is sense of community and fun here. I volunteer for a few local causes, but Kids Cancer Care goes above and beyond. There’s a different energy at Kids Cancer Care.”

But the biggest draw for Nilly is seeing kids overcome the things that scare them.

“I remember this shy boy at Teen Camp once,” she says. “He had just come off treatment and isolation. He was dressed so cute in his Halloween costume. I could see he was nervous, so I got him up on the dance floor. Suddenly, there was a huge dance circle all around him, cheering him on, lifting him up.”

These are the memories that stay with Nilly and bring a smile to her face many years later.

Cont. on page 4

NILLY (PAW PAW) VOLUNTEER EXTRAORDINAIRE Don Molyneaux Photography

Camp Kindle is a special place. Not because of where it is or what it looks like, although the facilities are impressive and the setting beautiful.

It is special because of you—the kids and families who find friendship and healing there. It is special because of you—the passionate supporters— who make camp possible with generous gifts of time and money.

“The kids start off afraid to leave their parents, but they get on the bus and meet the volunteers and other kiddos and don’t look back again.”— Nilly

For Candace Lenz, leaving a gift in her will was a pragmatic decision.

Not only would it mean significant tax savings for her estate, but a new partnership between Kids Cancer Care and the Canadian Free Wills Network would mean she could have it written for free.

Photos on this page and front cover by Peridot and Poppy Digital.

As we reopen the gates of Camp Kindle, after two long years of COVID-adapted programming, I am thrilled that this magical place will once again be that “enchanted place” for hundreds of children affected by cancer in Alberta.

You are restoring childhoods at camp

“The first reason for leaving a gift in my will was the tax break. The donation offsets up to 100% of your income in the final year of life. Not only is it good for your children; it’s good for the charity too.” —Candace

“There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.” – Elizabeth Lawrence

childhoods created by you

Don Molyneaux Photography

CEO message

A registered nurse in neurology at the Alberta Children’s Hospital and a health inspector with Health Canada, Nilly is completing her Master’s in Public Policy.

Her thesis is investigating the impact of Alberta Rehabilitation Services on

immigrant populations with long-haul COVID. Her ultimate goal is to be in a position to influence public health policy one day with an eye to improving access and ensuring equity for vulnerable populations.

YOUR GIFTS AT WORK, TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF CHILDREN WITH CANCER

ways you can help us

how to help

rebuild young lives during COVID and beyond

BE A MONTHLY BOLD & DONOR BEARD-I-FUL You can be a superhero in the life of a child with cancer. Your monthly gifts will add up over time and make a lasting impact in the lives of children with cancer.

You don’t have to lose your beard to raise funds!

Beautify it with colour or glitter, flora or shimmer on Father’s Day and raise funds through our Big Brave program.

CYCLE Your ride. Your way. Join us in the 2022 Kids Cancer Care Cycle Challenge, July 9 through 23.

Choose your distance and your destination. Raise a minimum of $1,000 and join us for the after party at Camp Kindle.

SPRING 2022 ISSUE

kidscancercare.ab.ca

VOLUNTEER CREATE YOUR LEGACY Give the gift of time. Tutors.

Camp counsellors.

One-to-one aides.

Event and office volunteers. We have a volunteer spot just for you!

Creating your legacy is easy and there is an option that’s right for everyone. Ask us for a copy of our legacy giving brochure today.

Contact Karen Kaufmann at 403 930 6953 or kkaufmann@kidscancercare.ab.ca to learn more.

Donate, register or learn more at kidscancercare.ab.ca today.

Cont. from page 3

Creating memorable experiences for sick children is no small thing. They are the memories that lift them up, the memories from which they draw strength when they return home to face the harsh realities of cancer treatments or the enduring long-term side effects of treatments. And, sadly, for some children, camp may be the last slice of childhood they will ever experience.

volunteers

Thank you, Nilly and all the volunteers and supporters, who make magical moments possible for children affected by cancer.

“To every child – I dream of a world where you can laugh, dance, sing, learn, live in peace and be happy.”

kidscancercare.ab.ca

Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta is a registered Canadian charity #89940 9171 RR0001.

Unique Perspectives Photography

Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta 5757 4 Street SE Calgary, Alberta T2H 1K8

Photos courtesy of Nilly unless otherwise noted.

—Malala Yousafzai

LEAVING A LEGACY