RUN4HOPE is the charity program of the BMO Vancouver Marathon, with goals to raise funds for social impact and community good, plus foster a spirit of community celebration. RUN4HOPE provides value to charities, and charitable options for participants, enabling runners to fundraise and/or donate to charities. Run & Give! Organized by the local non-profit RUNVAN®, the event’s RUN4HOPE program has helped runners like you raise over $15 million for charity. Thank you!
Raise $400 for an official RUN4HOPE charity, and our non-profit RUNVAN® will reimburse your race registration 20%
HOW RECREATION THERAPY HELPS KIDS AND FAMILIES SAVOUR THE MOMENT
“You’ll always adjust the activity to fit the person, never the other way around.”
It is a valuable piece of advice that Canuck Place recreation therapist, Laura Fielding, has learned in the course of her career.
Every day she comes to work and helps children and families living with life-threatening illnesses have the chance to live in the moment and experience activities they may never have thought possible.
From sit-skiing in Whistler, to movie nights close to home, Laura and her team work hard to ensure that every activity is accessible for the kids in our program.
The recreation therapy team lives by 5 guiding principles:
- Trust the process.
- Don’t create someone else’s narrative.
- Don’t be tied to expectations or outcomes.
- See the beauty and the ordinary miracles that are occurring around you every single day.
- Show up. Be yourself. Be present.
Laura sees the role of her team as creating opportunities and resources, allowing families to choose how they wish to participate.
“Sharing activities together, as a family, creates moments and memories,” says Laura. “As parents, we want to show our children everything we know, we want to share our passions with them.”
But what if their child is unable to engage in that passion in the same way? Enter Recreation Therapy!
“Your child can still do the same things you do – they just need to have a slightly different approach.” Laura says that seeing a child engage in recreation therapy is one of her greatest joys, and can literally bring a tear to her eyes. These moments don’t have to be large, there’s joy in moments of all sizes.
“It’s the small things,” Laura explains. “Like witnessing interactions between a brother who is teaching his younger sister to bowl; it’s seeing the look of pride in a mother’s eyes as she watches her child gain some independence; it’s hearing that after the death of a child, that passing by a certain lake reminds a parent of the parasailing activity they experienced together with Canuck Place.
“All of these things humble me and make me realize how fortunate I am to be able to share, in some small way, in a part of each child and family’s journey.”
The recreation therapy program is only possible with donor support.
“I can tell you for certain, when people donate to Canuck Place, their donation is having an impact,” says Laura. “Every time I’m on an outing with a child, whether buying them an ice cream, taking them to the Aquarium, or swooshing down the slopes of Whistler, I know that we are there because of the generosity of others.
“What better reason to donate than to give a child an opportunity to learn a new skill, have a new experience, and create memories that parents and siblings will carry with them the rest of their lives when perhaps, their beloved child may not be there with them.”
About Canuck Place Children’s Hospice
At Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, we make a difference for BC’s children and families. We provide critical care for children living with life-threatening illnesses and the families who love them in our two provincial locations and in their home communities, empowering them to celebrate each moment, build precious memories and manage the pain and symptoms of their illnesses and conditions. We also support the families who love them and provide the tools and resources they need to live in the moment together.
Run & Fundraise. Make a Donation.
Take your race to another level. Run and raise funds for one of our Official Charity Partners to enjoy a more meaningful run. Raise $400 for your charity, and our non-profit RUNVAN® will reimburse your race registration 20%. Charity runners may choose to then give those savings back to their charity of choice.