Former patients and community members rally to breathe new life into HopeSpring Cancer Support Centre.
Last week, CTV Kitchener learned the centre’s programs and services will stop as of Feb. 28 and its last day of operations is March 31.
READ MORE: HopeSpring Cancer Support Centre to close its doors
On Monday, things took a turn for the centre. An email from the executive director said the tremendous community support has prompted the board of directors to meet to discuss HopeSpring's future.
The fundraising effort to keep HopeSpring alive features a video made by St. Mary’s High School students last year. It made its way around social media, highlighting the importance of the centre.
Rebecca Brenner, a cancer survivor and former HopeSpring member, could not believe the news of the centre closing its doors. Back in December she had applied to volunteer at the centre, but was turned away because there were no open positions available – something she found quite strange considering the centre operated on volunteers.
“I found that really, really shocking, I found that shocking news. I just couldn’t believe that,” she said. “I know a lot of people really rely on it, so it was a big shock.”
Brenner said she, along with many others, were surprised that no one had heard of any fundraising efforts to fund the centre.
“It really surprised me that they didn’t have a higher profile in the community and that there weren’t any fundraising efforts or awareness campaigns or anything,” she said.
By the looks of it, the community is not ready to let go of the centre that has given back to so many over the last two decades. A GoFundMe page has also been set up to raise money for HopeSpring.
“There has to be some way,” said Brenner.
-With reporting from CTV Kitchener’s Abigail Bimman.
