Inspired by the courage of Scotland, a young cancer survivor, and led by a group of dedicated community members, Scotland’s Yard is a health care initiative established with the goal of enhancing children’s cancer care in Waterloo Region.

The first phase of Scotland’s Yard will see our community raise funds in support of additional medical equipment so more diagnostic procedures and treatments can be performed locally. Their efforts will also support personalized and holistic care, such as a children’s cancer careship fund that will help local families cope with the financial burden of having a child undergoing cancer treatment.

While some children’s cancer care already takes place here at the POGO Satellite Clinic at Grand River Hospital, these clinics are only equipped to offer certain types of services. Local children still need to be diagnosed at one of the province’s specialized children’s cancer programs (the closest of which are at hospitals in London, Hamilton, and Toronto) and have their treatment plan developed, monitored, and modified by a health care team from that program.

At any given time, around 200 children and their families are experiencing a cancer journey in our community alone, so the more aspects of children’s cancer care we can make available right here, the better we can make the experience for every child and family who needs it.