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Impact Day: October 6th, 2022
At Echelon, we have always believed in making strong commitments to our communities and in doing what we can to secure better futures for others. The Echelon Foundation gives us the ability to provide support to those in need through a collectively focused effort.
Our employees and associates are invited to vote to support a charity of their choice from a shortlist of noble causes. The winning organization receives a financial donation comprising of Echelons trading, client and wealth management business in support of their work within the community.
The Echelon Foundation
We are a company of individuals who care deeply, for our colleagues, their families, and people within our borders and those beyond. In recognition of this benevolent spirit, the Echelon Foundation was established to be a trusted channel for contributions whose funds will be appropriately governed and allocated.
The mandate of the Echelon Foundation is to collect funds and allocate those funds to appropriate and vetted charities in accordance with the rules and regulations set out by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Echelon will be contributing to the fund, with a cap, in a matching format, nationally, branch wide and individually.
Echelon, its partners and clients can make a real difference via The Echelon Foundation by directly assisting charities in their efforts to deliver support programs throughout Canada. Programs that are specifically designed to impact the quality of lives of those less fortunate who are struggling through adversity.
This Years Recipient
This years recipient by popular vote is The Wilms Cancer Foundation (WCF), a charitable organization, that supports and represents the needs of children, families and healthcare organizations affected by childhood kidney cancer and in particular the disease nephroblastoma (more commonly known as Wilms), the 4th most common paediatric cancer and #1 childhood kidney cancer.
The organization focuses on awareness, education, early detection and treatment of the disease as well as providing financial and emotional support to those tackling childhood kidney cancer on a daily basis.
Wilms Cancer Foundation; Wilms Tumor Presenting
A nationally/internationally recognized organization, the WCF was inspired by long-term Canadian cancer sufferer and survivor William.
Complaining of nothing more than a tummy ache, William was diagnosed, out-of-the-blue, with stage 4/5 Wilms renal cancer at just 7yrs. old. An active little boy (football, swimming, etc.) tests discovered a massive tumour on his kidney and a further nine in his lungs. His late diagnosis led to over 3 years of intense and protracted chemo & radiation therapy, nephrectomy (kidney removal), lobectomy (partial lung removal) and other multiple lifesaving operations, 2 relapses and finally an all-or-nothing bone marrow/ stem-cell transplant in an attempt to beat the disease. Although currently clear William (now 11yrs.) has exhausted all treatment options and his life still hangs in the balance.
Importantly, early diagnosis would have prevented this pain, stress and heartache (as well as the unnecessary strains on our healthcare system).
As a result of Williams 4-year long battle to overcome the disease the Foundation was set-up by William's family to ensure that other children and parents did not have to endure the same pain and heartache as they had experienced. This direct knowledge of the disease and an understanding of the support mechanisms that surrounded it (or lack-of) highlighted the acute need for an organization that could provide a singular destination for those needing support & information on the disease and the necessity to advocate for changes in the delivery of healthcare services designed to tackle the disease.
As the only organization dedicated to childhood kidney cancer and Wilms the WCF is a leader in paediatric/ childhood kidney cancer information and care is a member of both the International Kidney Cancer Coalition and a proud working partner of Kidney Cancer Canada.
Helping us to Help them
Despite the prolific nature of the disease (the 4th most common paediatric cancer and #1 childhood kidney cancer) the WCF is the only organization who are specificity dedicated to providing assistance in this area and it is wholly dependant on the goodwill and support of philanthropic organizations and individuals.
Importantly, the disease has a good survival rate if detected early but sadly, many children go undiagnosed for years and face dismal outcomes if it has progressed. They often require extensive, life-threatening treatment over many years including chemotherapy & radiation, major organ surgery. Indeed, 55% of children are diagnosed after the cancer spread and is at stage 2-5. Shockingly, 15% of those children are already at stage 4-5 at initial diagnosis.
Support programs enable the WCF to better care for those in need and to increase early detection rates thus reducing the pain and heartache associated with protracted treatment and, importantly, to save lives. This also enables the organization to relieve the burden on healthcare resources (through early detection) so that support may be redirected elsewhere.
Getting Involved
You can contribute by donating here. When using the link provided, you will require a valid credit card to process your donation request. Upon finalizing your donation, you will receive your official tax receipt to the email address inputted when making your donation.
Clink on the video links above to learn more.
Learn more about Williams journey and the disease...
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More about the WCF
(Printable/ Downloadable PDF)
