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Basic Needs Supports


A brain tumour diagnosis can have wide-reaching effects. If you find yourself in need of financial support for food, clothing, rent, utilities, or household items, there is support for you.

You may also find that you need childcare, disability or accessibility supports, personal care, or other community services. All provinces and territories in Canada offer a 211 Service with a searchable database and/or the opportunity to speak with someone who can connect you with necessary resources.

211 Services can be reached by dialing or texting 211, or through their website here: https://211.ca/

You can often find similar supports through your region’s government website. Additionally, the Government of Canada provides Income Assistance for a variety of demographics.

More information can be found here:
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/benefits/income-assistance.html

Furthermore, the Canadian Cancer Society has a list of financial supports broken down nationally and regionally, which can be found here: https://www.cancer.ca/en/support-and-services/support-services/financial-supports-by-province/?region=on

The Canadian Cancer Society also has a database of community supports, which can be found here: https://www.cancer.ca/en/support-and-services/support-services/find-services-in-your-area/?region=on

We hope that these resources support you as you move through this new land.

Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada’s
Guide to Grief and Social Supports


When you or someone you love has a brain tumour, you may feel frightened, overwhelmed, and unsure of where to turn. Grief is a common and expected reaction to a brain tumour diagnosis and it can become a long-term companion on your journey. Understanding grief, being able to talk about it, and knowing how to support others who are grieving can make a difference. Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada has compiled a list of grief and social resources you can connect with in Canada to make life just a little bit easier.

Grief Supports for Children and Youth

National Alliance for Grieving Children: https://childrengrieve.org/
KidsGrief.ca: https://kidsgrief.ca/
Children and Youth Grief Network: https://www.childrenandyouthgriefnetwork.com/
Dr. Jay Children’s Grief Centre: https://drjaychildrensgriefcentre.ca/
Heart House Hospice: https://hearthousehospice.com/
Lighthouse Program for Grieving Children: http://www.grievingchildrenlighthouse.org/index.php
Rainbows – Guiding Kids Through Life’s Storms: https://rainbows.org/
Canadian Alliance for Grieving Children: https://grievingchildrencanada.org/
Teenage Grief Sucks: https://www.teenagegriefsucks.com/

Grief Supports for Adults and Families

Canadian Virtual Hospice: http://stage.virtualhospice.ca/en_US/Main+Site+Navigation/Home.aspx
MyGrief.ca: https://www.mygrief.ca/
AfterTalk: https://www.aftertalk.com/
British Columbia Bereavement Helpline: https://www.bcbh.ca/pages.php?pID=20
Bereaved Families of Ontario: http://bfolondon.ca/helping-the-bereaved/
Speaking Grief: https://speakinggrief.org/
Dr. Bob Kemp Hospice (Grief Support Text and Chat Service): https://kemphospice.org/support-line
What’s Your Grief: https://whatsyourgrief.com/

Parental Resources

These resources provide parents strategies and language to approach various subjects related to brain tumours, illness, and death with their children.

Understanding the 5 C’s of Grief

Children pick up on adults’ feelings and apprehensions around subjects like sickness and death. Using age-appropriate language and being honest about the situation can put children at ease and reduce their worries.

Calm Through the Storm – Maintaining Discipline at Home When Your Child is Sick

When everything is suddenly different due to illness, keeping rules in place means children won’t have to guess about the consequences of their actions. Remember, to discipline is to teach, not to punish.

Memory Game

This simple memory game is good for all ages and uses objects that can be easily found in and around your home.

Download the PDF to learn more.

Download

Brain Activity - Touch

Boxes (or bags) are used to isolate the sense of touch from sight and hearing. The object is to put something into the box and then have other people try to guess what it by touch alone.

This fun activity is for children from kindergarten to grade 6. Download the PDF to learn more.

Download

Virtual Vacation

See the world – stay at home!

Travel may be on hold because of the pandemic, but you still have the opportunity to visit all kinds of places from the comfort of your home – no boarding pass or check-ins needed.

Download our list of tours and embark on your adventure.

Download and set sail!

Brain Buster - Rebus Challenge

Puzzling pictures and cryptic clues – here is a rebus made just for you!

See if you can solve these visual clues to some common phrases and figures of speech. Download a copy or view it online, and feel free to make a rebus of your own!

Download and start solving!

Neighbourhood Scavenger Hunt

There is something so great about getting out and exploring the outdoors. There is so much to see and do, and you don’t even have to go far from home to take it all in. Next time you are out for a walk, take along this scavenger hunt list and see if you can spot everything on it.

Download here - Happy hunting!

Indoor Scavenger Hunt

The perfect rainy-day activity!

Ready for some detective work? Get your thinking caps on, kids, and see if you can find all the items on this cryptic list.

HINT: Everything on the list can be found right in your own home.

Download and join the hunt!

Brain Busters - Birds, Brains, and Elephants

Put your math skills to the test by figuring out how many brains it takes to weigh as much as an elephant! Brains not your thing?

How many hummingbirds in a robin? How many robins in an elephant? Download this activity page and get calculating!

 

Download and prepare to be perplexed!

Easy Bake Cookies

Who doesn’t love cookies? Nobody, that’s who. Cookies are delicious.

In just 45 minutes, you can mix, measure and bake your way to a yummy treat with this recipe from Myriam Boucher-Pinard. Myriam is one of our Co-Coordinators for the Montreal Brain Tumour Walk. She got involved with the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada first as a student researcher after her father was diagnosed with brain tumours, and now she is an AMAZING volunteer for our community.

Cookies
Ingredients:
– 1 cup of peanut butter
– 1/2 cup of sugar
– 1 egg
– 1 cup of chocolate chips
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven at 325 degrees Celsius, with the grill placed at the centre of the oven
2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix in the peanut butter, the sugar, and the egg
3. Once the mixture is uniform, mix in the chocolate chips
4. On a cookie sheet covered in a baking (parchment) paper, roll the cookie dough into 24 balls
5. Place in oven for 20 minutes or until golden
6. Let cool on sheet for 5 minutes and then remove
7. Finished!
8. Since we can’t be there to taste-test, be sure to upload a picture of your cookies to social media and tag @BrainTumourFdn so we can see your masterpieces!
Funding for our virtual support programs generously provided by:
Adam Fanaki Brain Fund