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Support
We are ready to help!
Supporting and caring for a sick child is tough enough. We can help, even if in a small way. We try to fund you immediately, with very little paperwork or effort required on the family's part.
We are ready to help! Just email us.
The Highway to Healing Support Society (H2H) offers help with the costs of traveling, accommodation, and other incidentals when out of your community to access medical care for a child or for a pregnant mother.
What can we do? We can help pay for mileage, meals while you stay away from home, parking and other travel incidentals. We also can fill the gap by helping with accommodation costs when other agencies cannot.
What do you have to do? It’s simple! Just contact us and we will ask a few simple questions. Our funding is not dependent on a means test, or on you filling out endless forms. We keep it very simple for you, and offer direct and immediate support.
Do you qualify? Most families who live in Osoyoos, Oliver and Ok Falls and on the Osoyoos Indian Band land are eligible. We support families with children from pregnancy right up to the age of 19.
What if we are constantly back and forth to Children’s? Well, don’t worry, we can help with that. That is exactly why we exist! Whether your trip is a one time visit, or your child’s needs are ongoing, we are here.
Whether you are required to be away for an extended stay, make one trip or many, our support is available throughout your medical journey while you are away. There are no maximums for support from H2H; if your child requires medical services outside the community or you are pregnant and require out-of-town medical treatment, please contact us by email or by phone. The more time we have to plan with you, the better we are able to help you.
We will invite you to arrange a phone call with one of our board members to complete the intake process. We do not have a wait list and we can usually connect with you at a time that best suits your schedule and situation. The process is very simple and takes approximately 15-20 minutes. All dealings with H2H are strictly confidential.
If you and your child have already left the community under an emergency circumstance, please contact us as soon as possible. We will make arrangements to fulfill the intake interview over the phone and then we can expedite the process and explore how we are able to help.
If you know of a family you feel may benefit from our work, please encourage them to contact us, or you can contact us and we will take care of the rest. Privacy and confidentiality are cornerstones of our organization; we never disclose to whom we offer support. We know people can be reluctant to ask for help, and we recognize that privacy and discretion are of utmost importance.
Other Resources
Accommodation Options
First option for accommodation should be through the BC Family Residence Program. This program provides accommodation for any eligible out-of-town BC Family at no cost. For accommodations, call 1-866-496-6946.
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PDF – Places to stay near BC Children’s Hospital
Ronald MacDonald House – Provides accommodation for seriously ill children and their families when they must travel to Vancouver for their child’s major treatment. Phone Toll Free: 1-855-451-6703.
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Easter Seals House – The house has 49 self-contained rooms with laundry and lounge facilities and secured underground parking. Please note: reservations can be made by phone only. By reservation only: 1-800-818-3666
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Medical Travel Accommodation Listing – List of hotels which offer discounts to medical travelers.
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Transportation Options
Okanagan Health Connections – Provides access to non-emergency medical appointments. There is a regularly scheduled bus route from Osoyoos to Kelowna as well as HandyDART service. South Okanagan Transit System: Phone 250 495-8053
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Hope Air – Will arrange free flights for Canadians who are in financial need and must travel to healthcare. Phone Toll Free: 1-877-346-HOPE (4673).
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Air Canada Kids’ Horizons – Helping sick children to reach medical care not available in their community. Contact Children’s Hospital to inquire about the Air Canada Kids’ Horizons Hospital Transportation program. Call Toll-free: 1-888-300-3088
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Air Canada Foundation Hospital Transportation Program – Provides Aeroplan miles to Children’s Hospital, giving children and their parents access to advanced medical treatments in centres unavailable in their community.
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Travel Assistance Program (TAP) – available to eligible B.C. residents who are required to travel outside their home community to obtain non-emergency, physician-referred specialist medical care. Relates to ferries, train and bus fares only but does not include all transportation companies.
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Canada Revenue Agency – Claiming travel expense on your income tax. If you had to travel at least 40 kilometres (one way) from your home to obtain medical services, you may be able to claim the public transportation expenses you paid (for example, taxis, bus, or train) as medical expenses. Where public transportation is not readily available, you may be able to claim vehicle expenses. If you had to travel at least 80 kilometres (one way) from your home to obtain medical services, you may be able to claim accommodation, meal, and parking expenses in addition to your transportation expenses as medical expenses.
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Give a Mile – A non profit organization that helps people travel to see family members if they have a life threatening condition or are at the end of life. They can fly people anywhere to see a family member.
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Other Assistance
Canuck Place – A children’s hospice in Vancouver that cares for children with terminal diagnoses and their families.
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Lions Club – Patient Care Grants cover some of the costs of therapeutic equipment and prosthetics as well as transportation and accommodations to Easter Seals House. Phone toll-free to 1-800-818-4484
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Labatt Better Together – Labatt Better Together makes a positive impact on Canadian communities by providing basic essentials and other support services to improve the quality of life of individuals and families in need.
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Cops for Kids – Committed to assisting children that are in medical, physical or traumatic crisis.
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The David Foster Foundation – A non-profit charitable organization dedicated to providing financial support for non-medical expenses to Canadian families with children in need of life-saving organ transplants.
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Elks and Royal Purple – provide financial assistance for any purpose that is for the good and welfare of a person prior to attaining his/her 19th birthday and addressing the needs of children with hearing and speech disorders.
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First Nations – Travel assistance may be available through First Nations & Inuit Health Program through Health Canada.
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Healthy Kids Program – Helps low-income families with costs associated with basic dental care and prescription glasses for their children. Dependent children under 19 years of age, in families approved for premium assistance by the Medical Services Plan (MSP) through the Ministry of Health, are automatically registered with the Healthy Kids Program.
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Let’s Play BC – Aims to give disabled children means to become physically active, enjoy exercise, and make friends.
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Crowdfunding – The practice of funding a project or venture by raising monetary contributions from a large number of people, typically via the internet.
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