Goals and Progress
Childhood cancer survivor Helena Kirk became the leading voice in a national advocacy campaign, when thousands joined her efforts, we moved mountains.

Goals
Helena's Hope has 150+ patients, survivors, and their families that are advocating the federal government and Canada's leaders to make changes and increase funding in three areas:
- Fast, fair and safe access to trials and treatments for Canadian kids no matter where they live or how much money their family has.
- Funding for research that is based on the priority areas that childhood cancer families and Pediatric Oncology Clinicians have set as priorities.
- The creation of the first ever National Childhood Cancer Strategy in Canada.
Progress
Helena’s Hope is a grassroots organization created in 2017 by and for childhood cancer families.
Helena's Hope had a National Advocacy Campaign in 2018 that gained the support of 150 families across Canada, 31 different cancer organizations, 30 leading pediatric oncologists, 86 federal Ministers and Members of Parliament and the National Media.
Our proposal that was given the the Minister of Health in 2018 is here, which evolved into the Liberal party's election promise of $30 million dollars for childhood cancer in 2019 and the Prime Minister making childhood cancer a priority area in the new Minister of Health's mandate letter.
In the spring 2021 budget, the election promise was made into a reality by the announcement of $30 million dollars for childhood cancer in the federal budget.
Our next steps are to ensure that the funding (via CHIR) is used to deliver on the goals outlined in the briefing document. This document had the consensus of 150 families, pediatric oncologists/researchers and 40 cancer and children's organizations.
