'Services' is being dropped from the name, but serving Halton Hills remains key to its mission.
Cancer Assistance Halton Hills will continue to provide support for local cancer patients and their families with its new look. Founded in 2000 as Cancer Assistance Services of Halton HIlls (CAShh) in response to the closure of Georgetown’s Canadian Cancer Society office, the registered charity provides clients transportation to and from cancer treatments and appointments, helps with medical equipment rentals and assists with palliative and home care needs.
Director of operations Julie Liddle said the new name better reflects the organization and the work that it does.
“A lot of people had heard of CAShh, but they had no idea what it was,” she said. “Without the acronym, it is self-explanatory.”
The organization also has a new logo and redesigned website to go along with its new name.
Cancer Assistance Halton Hills will be launching its Give Where You Live campaign in April. In the past it had conducted a door-to-door campaign. It moved away from that during COVID, instead leaving door knockers at homes. After looking into the most effective methods of fundraising, the organization will be switching to a direct mail campaign this year.
"Our community is growing very quickly and the demand for our services is increasing year after year,” said Liddle, pointing out that 157 people used the transportation program last year.
“In order to meet the growing needs of our community, we needed to invest in a new campaign strategy to reach more potential donors."
The mailing will include a letter from 2021 Georgetown Citizen of the Year Glen MacDonald, himself a cancer survivor, detailing how the organization’s services helped him.
The registered charity relies on fundraising to support its services and receives no funding from the provincial or federal government.
Cancer Assistance Halton Hills is also looking for volunteers, particularly drivers to take clients to treatment appointments in Toronto, Mississauga, Oakville and Hamilton.
“We can’t do what we do without our volunteers,” Liddle said.
For more information on volunteering, visit the Cancer Assistance Halton Hills website.
