What We Do - Chai Lifeline Canada

WHO WE HELP

Families of children with life threatening or chronic illness
Children of parents with life threatening illness
Families from all across Canada

We know that the illness impacts not just the person who is sick, but their entire family. Chai Lifeline Canada services include support for siblings, parents and children.

Children's Programs

For 15 years, Chai Lifeline Canada has given thousands of families the concrete services and emotional support
that enables patients, siblings, and parents to find hope and joy in their lives.

Aaron’s Apple provides direct funds for medication, treatments and patient amenities for chronically ill children whose families cannot afford medical treatment. For many chronic illnesses, the only option to ease the suffering comes in the form of extremely expensive medical treatments. Aaron’s Apple provides families the opportunity to have their child’s medication funded.

Camp Simcha offers children with serious medical conditions the chance to savor camping at its best. Developed by pediatric specialists and camping mavens, CS combines superb medical care with the fun and frenzy of camp life. It is the foremost summer camp for youngsters with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

Camp Simcha Special offers children with serious medical conditions the chance to savor camping at its best. Developed by pediatric specialists and camping mavens, each camp combines superb medical care with the fun and frenzy of camp life. CSS is a magical camping experience for chronically ill and disabled children and teens.

Two separate Disney World trips lift the spirits of pediatric cancer patients and children who have recently lost a parent to illness or sudden death. (Sponsored by Ohr Meir Foundation and Penina’s Helping Hand)

Camp Lifeline is a local day camp and haven for kids with fragile immune systems and complex medical needs. It offers campers 4- 8 years old a unique summer experience tailored just for them.

Social and recreational activities give brothers and sisters the opportunity to befriend other siblings and receive the extra attention they need to thrive in a difficult environment.

After school fun for children that have a parent or sibling that is ill. This program focuses on building skills and developing friendships in a safe and supportive environment.

A spiritually reinvigorating trip to Israel for teens who are at least one-year post treatment or whose chronic illness can be medically managed during the energetic ten-day excursion.

Penina’s Helping Hand provides support to young children who have a seriously ill parent. Unparalleled emotional and social support are offered to each member of the family. Case management, counseling, special trips, toy drives, family retreats, and crisis intervention services all bring help and hope to children, families, and communities.

Family Programs

Our programs and services take care of everything from the mundane, like help getting to doctors’ appointments and hot meals when children are hospitalized,
to the extraordinary, like medically supervised overnight camps that give children confidence, courage, and life skills they need to fight dreaded illnesses.

Transportation assistance, meals for patients and caregivers, and personal entertainment systems for children, ease the stress of a child’s hospitalization.

Individual, group and family counselling for sick children, siblings and parents.

Tickets to events, programs and shows give children and adults warm memories that sustain them through painful and difficult periods. Holiday parties and family days bring smiles to children’s faces and moments of hope to their parents while making memories that last a lifetime.

Often times a parent will have to take leave from work to properly care for a seriously ill child. Chai Lifeline offers financial support during this trying time. In addition, all of our services are always free so our incredible supportive community can help families without any worry about finances.

Immediate help, information, emotional and psychological support, and immediate access to all of Chai Lifeline Canada’s program and services.

Support and counselling for parents via biweekly telephone/ZOOM support groups that connect them with other parents of seriously ill children and a therapist.

Community Services

It is our people – the trained, credentialed professionals and hundreds of dedicated volunteers – who make the real difference.
Their warmth and compassion, knowledge and empathy transforms programs into life-changing events.
They are the catalysts that help our children and families say,

“Chai Lifeline did more than help us cope with our child’s illness.
They gave us the tools to put pediatric illness in its place.”

Get involved by being a Big Sibling, prepare gift baskets for patients and families, visit homebound patients, be a counsellor at our social and recreational events and MORE! CLC hosts workshops and training sessions to introduce new volunteers to Chai Lifeline’s goals, practices, policies and philosophy.

Crisis intervention teams assist families, schools, camps, synagogues and other community institutions during the first days and weeks following the diagnosis of serious illness, or the death of a child or young parent.

Bring joy to patients and their siblings by collecting and distributing toys, games, books and gift cards during the Chanukah season and
all year round!

WHO WE HELP

Children's Programs

For 15 years, Chai Lifeline Canada has given thousands of families the concrete services and emotional support that enables patients, siblings, and parents to find hope and joy in their lives.

Family Programs

Community Services

For 15 years, Chai Lifeline Canada has given thousands of families the concrete services and emotional support
that enables patients, siblings, and parents to find hope and joy in their lives.