Kidney Cancer Canada Annual Holiday Campaign Donations Gratefully Accepted
INFORMATION • SUPPORT • ADVOCACY
WE CAN HELP!
kidneycancercanada.ca/donate2023
KIDNEYCANCERCANADA.CA | 1-866-598-7166
December • 2023
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Kidney Cancer Canada: Your Supportive Partner When Living With Kidney Cancer When facing the challenges of kidney cancer, no one should ever feel alone or uninformed. Kidney Cancer Canada, a compassionate and empowering network of patients, caregivers, and health professionals, provides support at every step. This national community provides resources and a sense of community to patients, caregivers, doctors, and every Canadian touched by kidney cancer. All sup- © COURTESY OF KIDNEY CANCER CANADA port, information, education, and invaluable medical and treatment advocacy services are provided in information, empowering them to English and French. make informed decisions. We have boundless resources PUTTING for lifestyle changes like cooking, KNOWLEDGE FIRST nutrition, exercise, mindfulness, Staying informed is vital when and stress management, all of which confronting any illness, and can be particularly helpful in the Kidney Cancer Canada excels midst of illness. On top of guidance, in making information readily Kidney Cancer Canada also offers available. We host multiple webi- community: Peer Support and nars throughout the year and an Coffee Chats provide safe spaces annual National Forum featuring for patients and caregivers to meet insights and advice from Canada's virtually to discuss all related leading kidney cancer physicians. topics. Our website contains a These events offer a platform for wealth of information, like a video patients and caregivers to access knowledge library, which provides
informative answers to questions by leading doctors. SUPPORTING A BRIGHTER FUTURE We may be small, but we aim big! Kidney Cancer Canada also funds innovative research through support from generous donors like you. Teaming up with funding from the Warren Y. Soper Charity Trust, the Canadian Urological Association Scholarship Foundation and support from the Kidney Cancer Research Network of Canada, we are committed to finding better diagnosis opportunities, treatment,
and hopefully a cure. Kidney cancer is a unique, often ‘silent’ disease with no apparent symptoms until it has advanced or is found incidentally by diagnostic imaging. Symptoms can include flank or back pain, a lump or thickened area, or blood in the urine. When diagnosed at a more advanced stage of cancer, options for treatment can be more challenging. Not all kidney mass diagnoses mean kidney cancer; it may be a benign growth. Your first specialist would be a urologist. A biopsy would determine the type, stage, and grade of the mass and next steps required. If the tumour is relatively small and localized (early stage), the most common treatment options are active surveillance with close monitoring and regular diagnostic tests or surgery to remove the tumour. Options for surgery methods and minimally invasive treatments such as radiofrequency ablation or cryoablation may be available depending on the size, position, and complexity of the tumour. When the cancer is advanced,
systemic treatment would be prescribed, monitored by an oncologist, and could be used in conjunction with surgery or radiation therapy. Immunotherapy offers excellent treatment options. Clinical trials offer access to new research treatments and expert medical care. A NETWORK OF HOPE Although there is no cure, many patients are living and thriving with kidney cancer, some with no evidence of disease. It’s vital for Canadians diagnosed with or who are caring for someone with kidney cancer to utilize and educate themselves about the disease and treatment options. Kidney Cancer Canada is right beside you to help with your journey. The holidays are fast approaching, and Kidney Cancer Canada’s Holiday Campaign is currently underway. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference. Visit kidneycancercanada.ca to learn more and donate today.
Give The Gift That Gives Back This Holiday Season This holiday season, share the love with friends and family by shopping gifts that give back. These companies support community initiatives and give back to charitable causes and efforts. No matter who you’re shopping for, these gifts are sure to keep on giving. LINDT & SPRÜNGLI
FRIDAY SOCK CO.
Holiday giving wouldn’t be the same without chocolate—and Lindt & Sprüngli have the perfect gift for sweet tooths who are looking to give back. With every purchase of the Lindt One for One bar, Lindt Canada will fund a donated meal to someone in need, in partnership with Second Harvest, the nation’s largest food rescue organization. The flavours include classic milk chocolate, hazelnut, and a salted caramel bar.
Available in men’s, women’s, and kid sizes, Friday Sock Co. has teamed up with Canadian Down Syndrome Society (CDSS) to create one-of-a-kind mismatched socks. The socks feature 21 stripes to represent the 21st chromosome, and the kids pair comes with three socks for some more mismatched fun. For every sale, 100 per cent of profits will be donated to CDSS to help with their efforts in human rights, inclusive education, and employment for those with Down syndrome.
LINDT ONE FOR ONE — $5.29
© COURTESY OF NOBIS
NOBIS
NO COLD SHOULDER BEANIE — $50
Keep yourself and vulnerable populations warm this winter with the purchase of Nobis’ No Cold Shoulder Beanie. Launched in 2020, 100 per cent of the pre-tax purchase price of the beanie gets donated to a participating charity. The cable knit toque not only gives back to charity, but is made with sustainable materials. Starting annually in November, the No Cold Shoulder Campaign has provided warmth to 15,000 people worldwide.
© CNW GROUP/LINDT
CDSS 2023 SOCKS — $16.95
© COURTESY OF WORLD WILDLIFE FUND CANADA
WORLD WILDLIFE FUND CANADA
CANADA LYNX SYMBOLIC ADOPTION — $50
Bring Canada’s most elusive big cat into your home—symbolically, of course—with World Wildlife Fund Canada’s symbolic adoptions. The symbolic adoption kit includes a high-quality stuffed animal with a personalized adoption certificate, and a poster with information about the species and the work your gift will help support. With the adoption of the Canada Lynx, you’re helping ensure the long-term survival of species like this triangleeared hunter.
© COURTESY OF FRIDAY SOCK CO.
© COURTESY OF PURPOSE JEWELRY
PURPOSE JEWELRY DUSK NECKLACE — $36
Perfect for everyday wear, the Dusk Necklace by PURPOSE Jewelry centres around shiny black glass beads, making a unique accessory that will go with every outfit. All of PURPOSE Jewelry’s products are handmade by women and girls escaping human trafficking—the Dusk Necklace was made in their India Sanctuary, with 100 per cent of the proceeds going to their non-profit, International Sanctuary, to provide each artisan with fair wages, education and holistic care.
How Nankind is Spreading Joy for Families Facing Cancer A dark shadow with a harrowing impact on families, cancer is a journey no one should face alone. Nankind, formerly known as the Nanny Angel Network, makes sure that no one has to. This holiday season, Nankind is on a mission to bring compassion and support to families affected by cancer, with an added festive touch to bring a little extra joy. THE STORY OF NANKIND In 2009, Audrey Guth, a mother in the midst of her own cancer journey, realized the burden that many parents with cancer face, juggling being a parent and patient. It was during a chance encounter with another mother and her child in a waiting room that Guth identified a significant gap in cancer care—the need to provide support not just to patients but to their children as well. She founded Nanny Angel Network, now Nankind, giving respite to moms with cancer. Since then, she has made it her mission to innovate and lessen the social and emotional impact of cancer on children by providing free support to mothers, fathers, and primary caregivers with cancer.
© COURTESY OF NANKIND
“Sally is a perfect match for our family in so many ways, her gentle and compassionate nature and playfulness truly complement her relationship with us and our children,” said Stephanie, a Nankind mom, about her experience with a Nankind volunteer. “Sally is a true angel. She manages to share her attention with two young children with very different personalities and interests.” NANKIND’S HOLIDAY IMPACT Cancer affects the entire family, not just the person diagnosed—a fact that Guth knows all too well. Coping with a parent’s cancer
diagnosis is emotionally challenging for children, and addressing their needs can often put parents at a disadvantage—they may not even realize that their own needs are going unnoticed in the whirlwind of treatments and caregiving—especially during the holiday season when families are busier than ever. Nankind provides critical intervention to children experiencing the trauma of parental cancer, which includes helping to grieve the loss of a healthy parent by building social and emotional skills with the help of their specially trained Volunteer Angels. The impact is incredible: through free support
programs, Nankind has provided 30,000+ hours of free childcare and 60,000+ nutritious meals, empowering 4,000 children with emotional resilience in the process. The Meal Support Program, in particular, is a lifeline for families, providing them with prepared meals during the most challenging time of their cancer journey. Healthy and delicious meals are delivered right to their door, allowing parents to not worry about shopping for groceries and preparing nutritious meals for their children, taking the time back to rest and recover. “Few people helped during my journey, my husband, my doctor, and one close friend, but Nankind played one of the biggest roles. When I could not cook, they delivered delicious meals and would check in on me,” said Bipina, a Nankind mom. Created during the COVID-19 pandemic in response to the concern of immunocompromised parents with cancer and grocery shopping, the program has remained a staple program within the organization, bolstered by meal support partners like Yumba, MealFix, and Toben Food by Design.
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Nankind doesn't stop at meals, either. During the holiday season, Nankind goes the extra mile, putting together holiday stockings filled with fun games and toys, and delivering them to homes to surprise children with a little extra holiday cheer during the break. This thoughtful gesture brings a sense of normalcy and happiness to families navigating the challenging waters of cancer. An invaluable free, and accessible resource for parents and families living with cancer, Nankind has transformed the cancer experience for over 2,000 families. One family at a time, the organization has built a community of volunteer angels, referral partners, and sponsors that provide free supportive care to families affected by cancer. This holiday season, Nankind's goal is to provide 2,500 meals to families affected by cancer. With your support, they can bring comfort, warmth, and hope to homes that need it the most. To donate, become a volunteer and learn more, visit nankind.com
Transforming the cancer experience for families with free childcare and support.
