Childhood Cancer Canada calls for $15M from feds as demand rises

HEALTH Childhood Cancer Canada calls for $15M from feds as demand rises By Prisha Dev & Meghan Cobb Global News Posted September 12, 2026 1:08 pm 2 min read WATCH: Cancer charity calls for more family support. LEAVE A COMMENT SHARE THIS ITEM ON FACEBOOK SHARE THIS ITEM ON X SEND THIS PAGE TO SOMEONE VIA EMAIL SEE MORE SHARING OPTIONS DESCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE INCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE A Canadian childhood cancer charity is calling on the federal government to provide more financial support to families whose children are undergoing cancer treatment. The foundation has seen demand for its financial support programs rise 40 per cent over the past two years, but says government funding has not kept pace. “This is the time to step up, talk to our parliamentary leaders, as well as make sure those families going through it have a helping hand,” said Kyle Smith with Childhood Cancer Canada. The charity is asking Ottawa for $15 million in the next federal budget to sustain those programs, while also seeking changes to tax credits and employment insurance requirements to better support families dealing with childhood cancer. About 1,500 children are diagnosed with cancer every year in Canada, according to the charity. STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT For many families, a diagnosis can mean a parent leaving work or reducing their hours to become a full-time caregiver, creating financial pressures that can continue long after a child’s treatment ends. Smith said many parents caring for a child with cancer are under the age of 40, meaning time away from the workforce can have lasting consequences for their finances. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. SIGN UP FOR WEEKLY HEALTH NEWSLETTER GET STARTED BY PROVIDING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO GLOBAL NEWS' TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY. “That’s no RRSPs being built up, that is no other benefit,” he said, adding that decades later, “their retirement is impacted, the child’s retirement or education fund is impacted.” ‘The added financial stress … is just not needed’ For the Masikewich family, those pressures came after their daughter Sloane was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma in May 2023. Treatment and a compromised immune system meant Sloane missed Grade 1 entirely, while Grades 2 and 3 were interrupted by trips to the hospital. MORE ON HEALTH MORE VIDEOS ‘E-dirt bikes are not toys’: E.R. doc…