News
It was yoga for YANA for the D’Esterre Seniors, which took place at the Comox United Church Yoga Sessions this winter. A huge thanks to this generous group for the donation and support for YANA families!
Many thanks to Katrina Kaboly for choosing to donate a portion of home sales this year to local charities, and to her clients for choosing YANA and supporting local families!
A warm thanks to the wonderful residents of Berwick who participated in their in-house craft fair. Residents crafted and sold items to one another with proceeds going to YANA. Your creativity and generosity to Comox Valley Families is a blessing!
Corn for YANA! So much appreciation to the great folks at Coastal Black for paying it forward by donating a portion of proceeds from the epic corn-trebuchet at this year’s Pumpkin Fest! A win-win for the community for a great event that gives back!
A huge thanks to the folks at the Haunted Hall of Horrors for your hard work in putting on yet another spooktacular event for the community this year and generously donating proceeds to YANA. Thank you so much for your ongoing support!
We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the CVRD Unit members of CUPE Local 556 for their recent donation. These municipal workers work hard, and we’re so thankful that they thought of YANA to be the recipient of their generosity!
We would like to acknowledge the Strategic Charitable Giving Foundation for their recent donation. We are appreciative and will ensure that the funds go directly to helping local Comox Valley families who have to travel for the medical treatment of a child or pregnant mother.
No Matter How Many Times You Call, You Are Not Alone
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Originally published by the Comox Valley Record, April 13, 2022
Andrea Rose, Special to the Record
Sarah and Kyle Lesage are no strangers to YANA.
Their first time encountering the generosity and support of the community-funded organization dates back to 2017, when their first-born child, Harvey, was airlifted to Victoria for suspected pneumothorax shortly after he was born. YANA was immediately there, supporting the family with money for food and travel. Harvey made a full recovery from what ended up being a treatable infection, and after three days the family returned home, full of gratitude for the support they received while away.
No more than a year later, Sarah, Kyle and Harvey were anticipating a double-blessing to join their family; twins were expected to arrive sometime in the late fall, but in August of 2018 Sarah’s water broke at just 27 weeks pregnant. Much like their big brother, the twins seemed to have their own grand entrance in mind, which included Sarah being emergency-airlifted, this time to Vancouver, to monitor and prepare for a very early arrival.
The family also knew that they could rely on YANA once again. There are no limits or lifetime maximums with YANA’s funding and accommodations programs, and the couple was blown away by unconditional support from what they’d come to know as a true gift and lifeline, right from their very own community.
“We were hoping we wouldn’t (need it) this time around, but alas, YANA was there again to offer support,” Sarah says, describing how YANA was there almost immediately, no questions asked.
“I felt extremely guilty for needing to rely on YANA for a third time. But they made me feel so loved and looked after. Like no strings attached, guilt-free kind of feeling.
“(We received) $200 in cash before even leaving the hospital, and Kyle was put up in Jeneece Place, so the stress of where he was going to stay was immediately taken off. We could focus on our baby girl. We once again were overwhelmed and humbled by the generosity YANA gives. It truly is a beautiful organization.”
Thankfully, Elenni’s condition turned out to be much less critical than was first suspected; there was no brain bleed, and the medical team felt that her breathing and feeding issues were due to her being born three weeks before her due date.
She was placed on an NG tube and stayed in the NICU for a total of 10 days.
During her time at Jeneece Place, Sarah made friends with another mother of a 25-week old boy who was also far from home and struggling to make ends meet.
“She had to raise funds through GoFundMe in order to pay for her stay and lost wages. I cannot imagine that added stress along with trying to care for a baby who needs extra care. I think every community needs an organization as helpful and loving as YANA.”
The realization of just how special an organization YANA is, and just how much it truly takes a community to make what they do possible, has made it a no-brainer for the couple to jump in and help any way they can. Kyle, among myriad talents, is an experienced videographer and technological guru, and has helped the organization pull off the complicated live streaming component for YANA’s Big Love virtual event for the last two years, and it’s been an honour for them to give back.
“(Kyle) has seen firsthand how the whole community backs YANA,” said Sarah. “Having YANA at your side is like having the whole Valley holding your hand. We are humbled by being part of the giving and receiving end of YANA and the Comox Valley’s generosity.”
Over the past five years YANA has supported the Lesage family through three births, four babies, and many long days and sleepless nights away from home. Thanks to the incredible support of a community that continues to say yes, families like the Lesage’s can know that no matter what may lie on the road ahead, they don’t have to walk a single one of those days alone.
Off The Page Podcast: Kelly Barnie of YANA Comox Valley
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Originally published by the Comox Valley Record, April 13, 2022
by Erin Haluschack
Even though it’s been more than 35 years since she started the grassroots organization, Sandra Williams’s legacy continues to live on in the Comox Valley through YANA – You Are Not Alone.
The community organization offers help to Comox Valley families who need to travel for medical treatment for a child or for a pregnant mother, with the goal to improve access to healthcare by providing travel funding and accommodation.
“Exactly what she started with; the same mission, the same mandate, as she started then is exactly what we do now,” said Kelly Barnie, executive director of YANA on the latest episode of Off The Page, which drops April 13. “I mean, things look different, they feel different, but the support is still the same.”
Barnie talked about the challenges YANA faced with the pandemic, particularly as their models for fundraising were primarily event-based.
She credited the community for stepping up despite having so many events shut down.
“We actually did better with a lot of the fundraisers (than before COVID), because when people could have said ‘no, sorry, I can’t, I’m sorry, we just can’t support this year,’ everyone found a way to do it. That part has been the hardest part of it operationally… but the most rewarding right to show that we can come through it.
“Our families don’t have a choice of whether to take the thing that’s hard and decide to do it or not, they just do… it just has made it even more clear how important it is to be able to say, ‘yeah, we got you.’ ”
As for finding a balance between helping families with some of the worst situations they may ever face and taking care of herself and her staff, Barnie said there are times when family scenarios are particularly difficult.
“There’s some really hard situations and stories that are hard on the heart for sure. But it is very easily washed away. When we can do that follow-up email and it says every time you are not alone, just know we’re here every step of the way. And if I can reassure someone of that over the phone, it makes every one of those minutes… worth it to hear that sigh of relief from a family.”
As for Barnie’s most memorable story or family she’s worked with? You’ll have to listen to the podcast to find out.
To listen to the full episode, download Off The Page on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and everywhere podcasts are heard, or visit cvoffthepage.buzzsprout.com. New episodes of Off The Page drop every Wednesday.
To submit podcast topics or guest ideas, email offthepage@comoxvalleyrecord.com.
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The Valley Vonka and the Hot Chocolates Factory fundraiser (where 100 per cent of donations go directly to YANA) wraps up shortly – make sure to pick up your chocolate bars by donation in order to find one of six golden tickets to win an amazing prize.
Chocolate bars can be found at the Record office (407D 5th Street, Courtenay), Parker’s Appliance & More, Old House Hotel & Spa, Kingfisher Oceanside Resort & Spa, Canadian Tire, Hot Chocolates, Sure Copy Courtenay, Quality Foods Comox and Peninsula Co-op (Comox).
Whatever Takes You Far From Home, You Are Not Alone
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Originally published by the Comox Valley Record, April 4, 2022
Andrea Rose, Special to The Record
Jason and Haley Lutter and their son Henrik – who goes by ‘Henry’ – were introduced to YANA during an appointment at their accountant’s office. In an off-topic conversation about a torticollis diagnosis Henry was given at just a few weeks old, Jason’s accountant, who was familiar with YANA’s programs, suggested they reach out for the upcoming trips the family would be making to Victoria in the coming months, part of the therapy to treat Henry’s condition.
Torticollis is a postural issue where the muscle on one side of the neck is shorter than on the other side, causing a variety of physical challenges and often requiring physiotherapy and intervention to ensure it’s corrected early. Along with regular physiotherapy appointments locally for nearly two years, the family was also required to make multiple trips to Victoria for a special helmet therapy.
“When (Henry) was first diagnosed I don’t think we understood fully what it might entail,” said Haley. “I think, in my mind, it was going to be a couple month thing and it would be resolved…he had some gross motor delays, and as well as why we ended up needing to access YANA was for the helmet therapy.”
Henry is the couple’s first child, and along with learning and adapting to the overwhelming newness of parenthood, they were also learning how to support Henry’s condition, managing multiple appointments, doctors, and eventually, overnight trips down-Island. After a short visit to the office for a simple intake, YANA quickly stepped in to help by taking care of many of the details and allowing them to focus on their child.
“The financial support was obviously huge, but for me, (it was) just having other people we could talk to and logistically make plans where we could stay,” said Jason. “I was really appreciative of YANA for making the actual bookings and scheduling that part out. That took a huge weight off our shoulders so that we could actually focus on preparing for the physio.”
Haley agreed with Jason, explaining that it couldn’t have come at a better time.
“When you’re dealing with all other stresses… anything that can be taken off your plate is a really big deal. I was on maternity leave at the time and Jason was changing careers at the time, so it kind of came at a time of more financial stress for us too.
Haley said at first, she felt like they might not qualify for support.
“When Laura first said YANA, I thought, ‘no, no, that’s not for us, that’s for families with extreme financial need.’ I think it is nice that it’s for everyone in the community, it’s all inclusive. It’s awesome that it’s mostly community members supporting their own community, it’s really special.”
Access to YANA’s support is a low-barrier process for any family required to leave the community to access medical care for a child or pregnant mother.
For Jason and Haley, this meant the organization took care of arranging accommodations for each trip they made to Victoria, as well as providing funding to help alleviate some of the costs of traveling and being away from home.
“It was amazing how easy it was. We just told them when we were going to be down there and they just booked it for us,” Jason explains, suggesting that YANA, which stands for “You Are Not Alone,” couldn’t be a more fitting name for the organization that not only relieved some of the logistical stress for them, but also provided them with a sense of community and support.
“It is a good title for the organization. It does make you feel like you’re not alone, there’s people you can reach out to for assistance. It made us feel like we were not alone.”
Henry doesn’t have to make any more trips to Victoria, and he’s nearing the end of his physiotherapy sessions locally. YANA was there for Henry and his family during the months they needed to travel for his medical care, providing them with a sense of comfort from their community that no matter how short or long the road, they didn’t have to walk it alone.
For more information and to find out where you can purchase your Valley Vonka chocolate bars, for a chance to win a golden ticket and the gift of support for YANA families, visit: https://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/community/comox-valley-record-launches-valley-vonka/