Whether it’s a ride to a medical appointment or lending out wigs, walkers and wheelchairs, the Cancer Assistance Program has been doing all that and more and at no charge for more than a quarter of a century.
“We had some equipment, but not very much,” Helena Streun, a CAP founding member and breast cancer survivor, recalled of the organization’s early days.
The long-time Concession Street non-profit group, which helps about 5,000 cancer patients each year, began in March 1994.
Streun noted when the Canadian Cancer Society closed its Mountain unit, a group of volunteers led by Don Muir moved to set up a new volunteer-driven program to support cancer patients.
“Don Muir decided we could not abandon our clients,” Streun said.
Aided by a $61,000 grant from the province’s New Horizons program and assisted by 50 volunteers, the Cancer Assistance Program was born.
Streun recalled how elated they all were when they got word of the grant.
“We did a happy dance,” she said.
Over the years, Streun said, CAP clients and volunteers have become like family to her.
“We have established a name in this community and it is a good name,” Streun said.
At 88, Streun is still an active volunteer and currently looks after birthday, anniversary and thank you cards for CAP clients and volunteers that she writes out by hand.
Her husband Henk is also a longtime CAP volunteer and the group’s photographer.
Soosie Stuart is another day one volunteer.
She recalled naming the organization was a collaborative effort.
“We wanted the word ‘cancer’ in it,” Stuart said.
CAP began working out of a room at Sherwood high school before moving on to Holy Trinity Anglican Church on Fennell Avenue East and then to a house at 569 Concession St. It remained there until last September before moving to the former Royal Bank building just down the road at 555 Concession.
Stuart, who helps oversee the organization's free ride program, said the demand for their services has exploded over the past five or six years.
“The need is out there and it’s such a joy to be able to help people,” Stuart said.
A retired English teacher, Stuart organized the cancer dance-a-thon that became a signature fundraising event at Barton high school for more than a decade.
Stuart, 71, said the event was always held on the Thursday prior to Good Friday and each participant had to raise a minimum of $25 in pledges.
“They would start dancing from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.,” she recalled. “They would dance 15 minutes of every hour.”
Stuart figures the event brought in as much as $15,000 a year to CAP.
Like Streun, Stuart considers the CAP staff and organizers part of her a family and she has no plans to stop her volunteer work there.
Today the organization has six staff, 125 volunteers and an annual budget of about $800,000.
“Each week we register about 25 new clients," said CAP executive director Debbie Logel Butler, who added that of the 5,000 people they help each year, about 1,000 of them are new clients.
That growing demand is what prompted the group to sell their house and move to the larger bank building.
“It got to the point where we couldn’t do our job,” Logel Butler said. “The line-up was out the door."
The new location with its meeting rooms also enables CAP volunteers to help clients in a private setting.
Logel Butler said CAP does not receive any sustained government funding and relies on their volunteers and frequent fundraising to keep going.
Whether it’s a ride to a medical appointment or lending out wigs, walkers and wheelchairs, the Cancer Assistance Program has been doing all that and more and at no charge for more than a quarter of a century.
“We had some equipment, but not very much,” Helena Streun, a CAP founding member and breast cancer survivor, recalled of the organization’s early days.
The long-time Concession Street non-profit group, which helps about 5,000 cancer patients each year, began in March 1994.
Streun noted when the Canadian Cancer Society closed its Mountain unit, a group of volunteers led by Don Muir moved to set up a new volunteer-driven program to support cancer patients.
“Don Muir decided we could not abandon our clients,” Streun said.
Aided by a $61,000 grant from the province’s New Horizons program and assisted by 50 volunteers, the Cancer Assistance Program was born.
Streun recalled how elated they all were when they got word of the grant.
“We did a happy dance,” she said.
Over the years, Streun said, CAP clients and volunteers have become like family to her.
“We have established a name in this community and it is a good name,” Streun said.
At 88, Streun is still an active volunteer and currently looks after birthday, anniversary and thank you cards for CAP clients and volunteers that she writes out by hand.
Her husband Henk is also a longtime CAP volunteer and the group’s photographer.
Soosie Stuart is another day one volunteer.
She recalled naming the organization was a collaborative effort.
“We wanted the word ‘cancer’ in it,” Stuart said.
CAP began working out of a room at Sherwood high school before moving on to Holy Trinity Anglican Church on Fennell Avenue East and then to a house at 569 Concession St. It remained there until last September before moving to the former Royal Bank building just down the road at 555 Concession.
Stuart, who helps oversee the organization's free ride program, said the demand for their services has exploded over the past five or six years.
“The need is out there and it’s such a joy to be able to help people,” Stuart said.
A retired English teacher, Stuart organized the cancer dance-a-thon that became a signature fundraising event at Barton high school for more than a decade.
Stuart, 71, said the event was always held on the Thursday prior to Good Friday and each participant had to raise a minimum of $25 in pledges.
“They would start dancing from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.,” she recalled. “They would dance 15 minutes of every hour.”
Stuart figures the event brought in as much as $15,000 a year to CAP.
Like Streun, Stuart considers the CAP staff and organizers part of her a family and she has no plans to stop her volunteer work there.
Today the organization has six staff, 125 volunteers and an annual budget of about $800,000.
“Each week we register about 25 new clients," said CAP executive director Debbie Logel Butler, who added that of the 5,000 people they help each year, about 1,000 of them are new clients.
That growing demand is what prompted the group to sell their house and move to the larger bank building.
“It got to the point where we couldn’t do our job,” Logel Butler said. “The line-up was out the door."
The new location with its meeting rooms also enables CAP volunteers to help clients in a private setting.
Logel Butler said CAP does not receive any sustained government funding and relies on their volunteers and frequent fundraising to keep going.
Whether it’s a ride to a medical appointment or lending out wigs, walkers and wheelchairs, the Cancer Assistance Program has been doing all that and more and at no charge for more than a quarter of a century.
“We had some equipment, but not very much,” Helena Streun, a CAP founding member and breast cancer survivor, recalled of the organization’s early days.
The long-time Concession Street non-profit group, which helps about 5,000 cancer patients each year, began in March 1994.
Streun noted when the Canadian Cancer Society closed its Mountain unit, a group of volunteers led by Don Muir moved to set up a new volunteer-driven program to support cancer patients.
“Don Muir decided we could not abandon our clients,” Streun said.
Aided by a $61,000 grant from the province’s New Horizons program and assisted by 50 volunteers, the Cancer Assistance Program was born.
Streun recalled how elated they all were when they got word of the grant.
“We did a happy dance,” she said.
Over the years, Streun said, CAP clients and volunteers have become like family to her.
“We have established a name in this community and it is a good name,” Streun said.
At 88, Streun is still an active volunteer and currently looks after birthday, anniversary and thank you cards for CAP clients and volunteers that she writes out by hand.
Her husband Henk is also a longtime CAP volunteer and the group’s photographer.
Soosie Stuart is another day one volunteer.
She recalled naming the organization was a collaborative effort.
“We wanted the word ‘cancer’ in it,” Stuart said.
CAP began working out of a room at Sherwood high school before moving on to Holy Trinity Anglican Church on Fennell Avenue East and then to a house at 569 Concession St. It remained there until last September before moving to the former Royal Bank building just down the road at 555 Concession.
Stuart, who helps oversee the organization's free ride program, said the demand for their services has exploded over the past five or six years.
“The need is out there and it’s such a joy to be able to help people,” Stuart said.
A retired English teacher, Stuart organized the cancer dance-a-thon that became a signature fundraising event at Barton high school for more than a decade.
Stuart, 71, said the event was always held on the Thursday prior to Good Friday and each participant had to raise a minimum of $25 in pledges.
“They would start dancing from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.,” she recalled. “They would dance 15 minutes of every hour.”
Stuart figures the event brought in as much as $15,000 a year to CAP.
Like Streun, Stuart considers the CAP staff and organizers part of her a family and she has no plans to stop her volunteer work there.
Today the organization has six staff, 125 volunteers and an annual budget of about $800,000.
“Each week we register about 25 new clients," said CAP executive director Debbie Logel Butler, who added that of the 5,000 people they help each year, about 1,000 of them are new clients.
That growing demand is what prompted the group to sell their house and move to the larger bank building.
“It got to the point where we couldn’t do our job,” Logel Butler said. “The line-up was out the door."
The new location with its meeting rooms also enables CAP volunteers to help clients in a private setting.
Logel Butler said CAP does not receive any sustained government funding and relies on their volunteers and frequent fundraising to keep going.