In this episode, I’m sharing my conversation with Alexx Friesen. Alexx is a Child Life Specialist who works in Toronto. She has worked with families in hospital settings, as well as in hospice and palliative care. She also has experience in oncology, both as a professional, as well as a patient. She herself is a childhood cancer survivor. Her experience as a patient when she was a child led her to this career and it gives her such a unique perspective and skill set to work with families in these extremely difficult scenarios. She is a kind and happy person who is so creative and insightful into the experiences of children. She is also so well-equipped to be doing this very important work.

You can find Alexx online at @childlifealexx.

In this episode, I share my conversation with Michelle Da Costa. Michelle is the mother of three girls. Her youngest daughter is a childhood cancer survivor. Michelle is also a Parent Liaison with @OPACC Ontario Parents Advocating for Children with Cancer. I had the fortune of meeting Michelle at a parent drop-in while my own child was in treatment, and our conversation had a deep impact on me. Michelle tells the story of her daughter's experience with cancer, and how it inspired her to become a support and a resource to other oncology parents. It is remarkable how Michelle has turned her own struggle into purpose, and how she shows up week after week, in service of all the families who are now walking the path she travelled so many years ago.

In today's episode, I am speaking with two representatives from Make-A-Wish® Canada.

You are very likely familiar with Make-A-Wish Canada. This is the charitable organization that grants wishes to children with critical illnesses. But you may not be aware of some of the interesting facts about Make-A-Wish Canada that I learned from this conversation:

• In 2023, Make-A-Wish Canada brought wishes to 1,389 wish kids and their families across Canada.
• A wish might be a chance to travel, to meet a celebrity, to have an experience, or to have an item or piece of equipment. And some kids are hoping to realize other dreams like recording a song or writing a book. The wish coordinators are so thoughtful and creative at helping kids to uncover their wishes and bringing them to life.
• Nearly 50% of children in Canada waiting for a wish have been diagnosed with Cancer. Wishes are considered to be an essential part of treatment and can even improve outcomes.

In the words of Make-A-Wish Canada, “Wishes are transformative, replacing fear with confidence, sadness with joy, and anxiety with hope. Make A Wish believes that through these experiences, children can discover that anything is possible.”

If you are interested in getting involved with Make-A-Wish Canada, either to donate, to fundraise or to volunteer, you can find them online at makeawish.ca.

In this episode, I have the honour of sharing my conversation with Jessica Hill. I first learned of Jessica, and her daughter Addy, in September of 2023, when Sick Kids Hospital posted a story about a new initiative called Precision Child Health.

The post featured an enormous crystal ball that was filled with colourful mist. At the unveiling, beside the crystal ball, stood a family who spoke about the young teen who inspired the campaign. That teen was Addison Hill, or Addy, as she is affectionately called.

I watched Jessica’s speech, and I was in awe at how a grieving mother could demonstrate such strength and hope, I needed to know more, so I followed along. I went on to learn about Addy’s experience with childhood cancer, and the work that her family has done since Addy's death to raise awareness for angiosarcoma, and to fulfill Addy’s wish to raise funds for cancer research, specifically for the work of Addy’s oncologist and his team, in order to do more for all the other kids out there with this disease.

Jessica herself is a force. She is tireless, committed, so well-spoken, and approaching this situation with so much grace and compassion. I feel so fortunate to have met her, and it is my great honour to share her story with you here.

You can learn more, and watch the documentary about Addy at https://www.teamaddy.ca/addys-story
https://www.instagram.com/teamaddy8/

In this episode, we hear the story of actor and comedian Daniel Stolfi. Daniel was diagnosed with Lymphoma when he was 25 years old. Like every cancer warrior, Daniel’s story is remarkable. He kept a journal throughout his treatment, and before his treatment was even over, he wrote and performed an award-winning one-man comedy show called Cancer Can’t Dance Like This. It was met with rave reviews! He has performed this show at venues across North America, and in the process, he has raised more than $100,000 for cancer research.

Daniel has also written a book, his memoir, called The Comedian vs. Cancer. His perspective is so fun, so unexpected and so refreshing. There is just something about being able to laugh along with Daniel to make us all feel a little better about this brutal and unbelievable situation.

You can find Daniel online at youandmeent.com and on Instagram at @stolficomedy.

In this episode, I am thrilled to share my conversation with Jenny Edmonds, Director of In-Hospital & Community Programs with Campfire Circle. Campfire Circle is a privately funded charity in Ontario that brings laughter and joy to kids and families affected by childhood cancer.

Campfire Circle is passionate about helping kids to just be kids. These are the cheerful folks who visit your hospital room to play a song on the ukulele, to play a boardgame with your child. They coordinate in-hospital activities, such as painting or crafts, and they have year-round programming outside the hospital, including an overnight summer camp for kids in treatment. Jenny tells us about the history and philosophy of the organization, and all about the incredible programs that are available.

If you are interested in donating, volunteering or learning more about their programs, you can visit campfirecircle.org.

In this episode, we hear the story of Nicole Raso. Nicole is the mother of 5 year old Luca, who recently completed his treatment for a Wilms tumour, which was found on his kidney in August 2022. Nicole tells us about how she discovered that her son was sick, and the arduous journey that she and her family travelled in order to bring him back to health.

Nicole also explains why she started her Instagram page @donate4kids. Her mission is to spread awareness about childhood cancer, to share helpful resources for families, and to raise funds for cancer research. Nicole is determined to ensure that childhood cancer patients and their families get the attention they deserve.

When we undergo a major crisis in our lives, we sometimes experience an epiphany about what actually matters. In some cases, we are changed for the better. Heather feels that she has had the opportunity to learn some very important lessons during her brush with childhood cancer, and shares them in this episode.

Note from Heather - I accidentally skipped #5! I want to fix it, but I just don’t have time. Also, I’m happy with the flow of the episode, so I’m leaving it as is. In the spirit of this topic, here is lesson #5. Life moves fast and we are doing our best. If my best is not perfect, it is still damn good. So I’m accepting my mistake and moving ahead. I hope you love the episode!