Child and Youth

Helps families with children who have complex medical needs navigate the healthcare system, finding both medical and non-medical services through support, education, advocacy, and referrals to programs and services. Includes:

• Understand medical diagnosis and needs
• Answer questions about screening, testing, and care plans
• Navigate the healthcare system
• Listen to concerns
• Connect with programs and services (social programs, community groups, counselling, spiritual care)
• Support during out-of-province medical travel
• Coordinate care between provinces
• Connect to financial resources for medications, travel, and medical supplies

Note: The navigators cannot provide medical care.

• Poisoning first aid
• Treatment advice
• Toxicology information
• Information on animal exposures when information is available

Provides support and information services to help children and families understand what is happening to them, their siblings, parents, or loved ones. Includes:

• A Pediatric Brain Tumour Handbook
• A Friend in Hope Storybook
• Toll-Free Information and Support line
• Private Facebook Support Group
• Support reading materials

• What to do next
• Preschool program
• School age materials
• Staffing and training
• AccessAbility Support Program
• Provincial government information
• Federal government information

• Cooking classes
• Games
• Crafts
• Learning strategies to help better manage living with arthritis
• Making friends with others going through similar experience
• Scavenger hunts
• Dance parties

• Seating inserts
• Wheelchairs
• Special needs strollers
• Bath seats
• Car seats
• Toileting aids

Provides grants up to $500 to help families participate and travel to an in-person childhood arthritis camp hosted by the Arthritis Society.

Note: Applications can be submitted throughout the year. Application must be submitted at least two months prior to camp event date.

• An instructional video for parents and caregivers about how to fit, pack, and safely wear the backpack
• An awareness video for teachers
• A plush animal with a removable warming and cooling pack to ease sore joints
• A family informational resource about helping young people live well with arthritis
• Pencil grips and zipper pulls
• An award-winning children's book that explains chronic pain
• An illustrated booklet that shares the experiences of other children living with arthritis

Helps parents and children explore what anxiety is, practice techniques to help ease anxiety, use their imagination and learn how to take control of anxiety by creating a plan to defeat worry. Includes:

• Weekly calls with one's assigned coach
• Weekly exercises
• Filling out daily worry tracker
• Review the material on the phone

Provides support for child amputees and their families. Includes:

• Financial assistance
• Regional seminars
• Peer support
• Funds for computers and assistive devices (JUMPSTART)