Annual Report 2016 - 2017
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ANNUAL REPORT 2016 - 2017 West Island Cancer Wellness Centre Table of contents The WICWC 3 A Message from Debbie Magwood, 6 Founder & Executive Director A Little Book About Cancer 7 A Little “APP” About Cancer 8 Expert Advice 9 Capital Campaign 13 Partnerships 19 Volunteer Support 21 Financials 25 Statistics & Programming 28 Community Impact 32 Testimonials 53 2 The WICWC MISSION West Island Cancer Wellness Centre exists to empower people who are experiencing cancer by providing them with compassionate support and comprehensive information for mind, body, and spirit. VISION & GOALS Vision: To become recognized as a leader in cancer wellness. Goals: To be “top of mind” as the place to turn to when cancer affects your life. Provide innovative, integrative therapies as well as reliable resources & information on intervention and preventive cancer care. Petition health practitioners and educate the public on the necessity for psychosocial care as part of the cancer continuum. Sustainable financing to address the cancer crisis in Quebec and continue to provide people living with cancer, the benefits of a whole-person integrated approach to wellness. 3 The WICWC cont. WHO WE ARE West Island Cancer Wellness Centre (WICWC) is a registered charity dedicated to offering compassionate care and support to anyone experiencing cancer – either having it themselves or supporting someone with cancer (we accept anyone who is experiencing cancer between diagnosis and one year post-treatment. All ages, all types of cancer). We believe in a whole-person integrated approach to wellness that focuses on improving the health and well-being of people living with cancer by addressing their emotional, physical and spiritual needs. All of our programs and services are FREE OF CHARGE and are created to support and complement traditional medical practices. Through our wellness programs, participants will receive personal support, gain coping mechanisms, discover additional alternatives, and become better educated about their specific illness. We will help them gain more control of their lives, find strength, reduce feelings of isolation, and continue to foster hope, regardless of the stage of their disease. They become empowered, active participants in the management of their health and well-being. 4 The WICWC cont. OUR APPROACH TO CANCER CARE The WICWC provides Psychosocial1 Cancer Care to anyone living with any type of cancer. Traditional medical professionals focus on treating the cancer, whereas all our programs and services address the emotional (mind), physical (body) and spiritual (spirit) challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis. From the moment a participant walks through our doors they get a warm welcome, find personal support and go on to become empowered, active participants in the management of their health and well-being. Not too long ago, this centre was simply a dream for Debbie Magwood, Founder & Executive Director of the WICWC. As a Clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience counseling, sharing her expertise through lectures and a first-hand personal experience with cancer, her vision was to create a centre that would provide psychosocial care and improve the health and well-being of people living with cancer. That dream came to a reality in June 2008 when the WICWC was officially registered as a charity. After many months of renovations, volunteer help from the community and the development of programs and fundraising initiatives, the doors of the West Island Cancer Wellness Centre were officially opened (October 2009). 1. Psychosocial Cancer Care: While the physical symptoms of cancer are addressed with medical treatment, the emotional impact of the disease and treatment is often overlooked. A diagnosis of cancer impacts the whole person and their family. Therefore, psychosocial care involves a whole-person approach to cancer care that addresses a range of human needs that can improve or optimize the best possible quality of life for individuals and their networks affected by cancer. – The Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology (CAPO) 5 A Message from our Founder and Executive Director Debbie Magwood, M.Ed, OPQ What a last couple of years it has been. We broke ground, built a new centre, moved in, and have turned this wonderful building into a HOME. None of it could have been possible if it weren’t for the INCREDIBLE support we received from our community. I am definitely speaking of the $3M raised, but we also felt tremendous support from the health, wellness and corporate community. Many more professionals came forward wondering how they could help. The hospitals have been referring on a regular basis, and we have seen a significant increase in the number of cancer patients and their loved ones trust us with their wellness. On the main wall in our foyer hangs the word GRATITUDE. We are extremely thankful to be able to continue helping families in the West Island and surrounding areas of Montreal and to be fulfilling the need for support for those living with cancer. Wishing you all wellness, ** The WICWC is proud to announce that on May 30th, 2017, Debbie Magwood was chosen as the recipient of the Shirley Miller Award (by West Island Community Shares) for outstanding Community Leadership. 6 A Little Book About Cancer A Little Book About Cancer is designed to help children who are experiencing cancer – through a parent, grandparent or other family member – deal with the hard times. Cancer can be confusing and scary for children. This workbook is a tool adults can use to open dialogue about the difficult topics of cancer in an interactive and creative way. We are happy to be able to offer this book to you at no charge thanks to our very special partners below. 7 A Little “APP” About Cancer A Little Book About Cancer is NOW Digital. Thanks to our Pharmaceuti- cal sponsors below, the WICWC worked with the company appwhapp to develop an app that was launched in Quebec and Ontario (and eventually the rest of Canada). 8 EXPERT ADVICE We believe in order to successfully run a charity, one must use the knowledge and expertise of talented, influential individuals offering to share best practices and insight into the world of cancer care. The WICWC is very fortunate to have a dedicated staff, an engaged Board of Directors and a devoted group of Advisory Committees willing to donate their time to support our cause. 9 Wellness Team DENYSE BOIVIN SERENA CHENOY Finance Coordinator Marketing & Communications Coordinator MAGGIE COSTA PATRICIA PRICE Director of Development Fundraising Assistant DEBBIE MAGWOOD, M.Ed, OPQ DJ DOUEK Founder & Executive Director Receptionist SANDY FITZPATRICK LOUISE J. BILODEAU Participant Care Coordinator Programming Coordinator BARBARA TRUEMAN-GRANT ANN MCMENAMON Volunteer Assistant Volunteer Receptionist 10 Wellness Team Board of Directors Debbie Magwood, M.Ed, OPQ, President, Suzanne Sévigny, Director Vice Chair TD Bank Financial Group, Vice President, Retired WICWC Founder, Executive Director Laurie Traylen, Director George Tooley, Chair The Study, Director of Athletics, Retired Bow River Financial Group, President Tara Siev, Director Elizabeth Tropea, Secretary LULU Software, Vice President of Sales Atelka, Vice President Operations Kirk LLano, Director Erik Charton, Director Lower Canada College, Director of Jones Lang LaSalle, Senior Vice President Development and Alumni Engagement Nina Gupta, Director Olga Munari, Director Greenlite, President & CEO Spa Munari, Owner, President George Alexopoulos, Director C. Frank Merhar, Director Belden Inc., Vice President of Sales Philanthropist and Marketing Willow Fund, Executive Director Jay Deakin, Deakin Realty, Certified Real Estate Broker, Agency Executive Officer & Managing Partner Medical & Wellness Advisory Committee Debbie Magwood, M.Ed, OPQ Danielle Morin WICWC Founder, Executive Director Clinical Nurse/Prevention HSSC West Island Nada Nasreddine Horace D. Laryea, MD Owner, Pharmaprix Beaconsfield & Hematology-Oncology & Internal Medicine Kirkland Lakeshore General Hospital Debbie Loyer, MDCM, FRCP April Shamy, MD Pediatrician, Montreal Children’s Hospital Hematologist, Jewish General Hospital Dr. Sophia Tchevenkov,MDCM, FRCSC, CSPQ Cindy Finn, Ph.D. OPQ ObGyn, St. Mary’s Hospital Director, Student Services, LBPSB Daniel Hébert Lucy Gilbert, MD Director Country Medical, Novartis Professor, Oncology; Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pharmaceuticals McGill University Health Centre Maureen Hodgson, MD, FRCPC Psychiatrist, Lakeshore General Hospital 11 Wellness Team cont. Capital Campaign Committee Debbie Magwood, M.Ed, OPQ Len McDougall WICWC, Founder & Executive Director Len McDougall Insurance Co Chair Services Inc., CEO Erik Charton Olga Munari Jones Lang Lasalle, Senior Vice President Spa Munari, Owner, President Co Chair Tara Siev Peter Alves LULU Software, Vice President of Sales Technicolor Creative Services Montreal Internal Producer, Retired George Tooley Bow River Financial Group, President Stephen Kaplan Reliance Construction Group Inc., President Elizabeth Tropea Atelka, Vice President Operations Clifford Lincoln Quebec Cabinet Minister, Retired Tony Zinno Zinno Zappitelli, Architect Susan Woods House of Woods LTD, Kirk LLano Executive Officer Lower Canada College, Director of Development and Alumni Engagement Finance Advisory Committee Lois Maeder-Alves Michael T. Boychuk, CA Finance coordinator, Retired Bimcor, President & CEO Larry South, CFP Dean Whitelaw, CA Litwin Correa Accounting Firm Laurentide Controls, Director of Finance