Through the support of various service clubs, Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC)’s Pediatric Oncology Department will benefit from new chairs that will be used for chemotherapy treatments.
The local Lions Clubs and Kinsmen Clubs are longtime supporters of KHSC and Providence Care and have donated to numerous projects at all sites. The following clubs helped support this extraordinary gift: Lions Clubs of Loyalist Township – Amherstview Lions Club, Bath & District Lions Club, Odessa Lions Club, Gananoque Lions Club, Tamworth & District Lions Club, Land O’Lakes Lions Club, and the Kinsmen Club of Napanee.
“One of our pillars is children, and children’s cancer is one of our pillars that we really deal with,” explains Lion Debbie Donaldson, Gananoque Lions Club president. “We asked them initially, what is it you need money for? And when it came to children’s chemo, it was these chairs, hands down. So it was just immediately we thought, we’ll help however we can.”
The Lions Clubs of Loyalist Township have worked together in the past on supporting worthwhile projects. Last year they together supported the Children of Ukraine and this year the Odessa Lions Clubs challenged the Bath and Amherstview Clubs to match donations, enabling the three clubs to support the purchase of one chemotherapy chair.
“In each case the value of this good deed will hopefully improve the quality of life for those who benefit from the donation. The Lions motto is We Serve,” says Lion David Shane of the Odessa Lions Club.
As one of only five Pediatric Cancer Centres in Ontario, Kingston’s Pediatric Oncology Program provides children in our community with access to cancer care closer to home. There are an average of 10 to 15 new children diagnosed with cancer each year in this region, 15 to 25 children continue to undergo active treatment for childhood cancer at any given time, and many more are being provided with follow-up treatments and post-cancer care in our clinics.
“As an organization we like to help our community where the need is greatest. When we heard about the demand for these chairs, it was a unanimous decision to give as much as we could. We have a great deal of appreciation for what the hospital foundation does and are honoured to be able to do what we can to help ease their burden,” says Andrew Potvin, Kinsmen Club of Napanee.
The new chairs will provide optimal patient comfort and the fabric colours, chosen by the patients, and will brighten up the space during long treatments.
“These new chairs are much more functional for providing care and comfort to the children during their treatment. The colours have added some fun to the room. The kids’ faces lit up when they walked in and saw the bright new colours and some pick their favourite coloured chair to sit in. The addition to our treatment area is very much appreciated by the staff, children and parents,” says Patty Jansen, Hospital Community Liaison Nurse Pediatric Oncology.
Foxboro’s Carly Land comes to Kingston twice a week for her chemotherapy sessions, and spoke glowingly of the new chairs. She says comfort is key when receiving treatments that last hours at a time.
“I like being able to lay down in the chair so I don’t have to steal the stretcher from someone who needs it,” says Land. “And they don’t get as uncomfortable as the other chairs.”