Leucan celebrates its 45th anniversary with a new partnership

The Association joins forces with the Alecxange Foundation to provide financial support to more families 

MONTREAL, June 15, 2023 /CNW/ - On the occasion of its 45th anniversary, Leucan, the Association for children with cancer and their families, announces its partnership with the Alecxange Foundation in the creation of a new dedicated donation: Le Don d'Alec. Created on April 9, Le Don d'Alec enhances Leucan's emergency fund, providing additional financial assistance to families with a child with cancer. 

Today, the Alecxange Foundation formalizes the partnership by presenting Leucan with a cheque for $100,000 for the first year. 

Created in 2010 by Martine Lemay, mother of Alec who died in 2001, the Alecxange Foundation aims to ease the daily and financial burden of families. As an active member of Leucan, Martine now wishes to give back to the Association while pursuing her mission. A very fitting partnership for her: 

"From the announcement of the diagnosis in 1997 to today, Leucan has been there for my family. A love story that has lasted for 26 years. From Day 1 when a Leucan counsellor came to give us information, to visits to the hospital or phone calls to check up on us, and even after Alec passed away, Leucan has been a comforting presence in my life. It went without saying that I would give back to the Association when the time came," says Martine Lemay, co-founder and president of the Fondation Alecxange and grieving mother of Leucan. 

The idea for the Alecxange Foundation came from discussions at the hospital, where parents shared that they couldn't make ends meet. Wanting to help them in their time of need, Martine thought of offering them gift cards for groceries, gas and housekeeping. Le Don d'Alec provides Leucan with an additional amount to redistribute to the families, and enables Martine to see her years of efforts continue.

"Cancer is never in the budget; the amount donated to Leucan by the Alecxange Foundation will provide an extra helping hand to parents and thus help alleviate their financial stress. Le Don d'Alec will have a major and immediate impact on our families' daily lives. Martine's trust in the Association is a real gift to us. I am honoured that she has turned to Leucan to pursue her mission," says Juli Meilleur, Executive Director of Leucan. 

Founded in 1978, Leucan is an association born of the desire of parents of children with cancer and healthcare professionals to increase the recovery rate and well-being of cancer-stricken children. 

"Leucan has built unparalleled expertise in providing support and guidance to children with cancer and their families. The services offered across Quebec enable families to focus their energies on their child's quality of life. This has been the Association's mission for the past 45 years," says Juli Meilleur, Executive Director of Leucan. 

For 45 years, Leucan has pursued its mission to promote the well-being, healing and recovery of children with cancer and to provide support to their families: 

• Leucan has helped more than 10,000 families across Quebec through their ordeal;
• Leucan has invested over $20 million in clinical research in pediatric oncology, making the Association the leading funder for this type of research in Quebec. These investments have helped raise the recovery rate from 15% to over 82%;
• The Leucan Information Centre responded to nearly 2,000 requests. This specialized service to meet the information needs of parents and pediatric oncology patients is unique in the world.
• Nearly $1.5 million annually is distributed directly to families whose children have cancer to help them financially.

To learn more about Leucan and its services, visit www.leucan.qc.ca.  

For more than 40 years, Leucan has been supporting cancer-stricken children and their families from the day of diagnosis through every stage of the disease and its side-effects. As a loyal ally of hundreds of families and thousands of members across Quebec, the Association provides specific and personalized services delivered by a qualified team with a cutting edge expertise. Leucan also funds clinical research and the Leucan Information Centre. With its nine offices, Leucan is present throughout Quebec. 

SOURCE Leucan