By Yousef Wahba
Earlier this month, the Angel Project put on a party, their Straight from the Heart fundraiser, a live event full of fun, dancing, and of course, music. Nearly $15,000 was raised that evening.
The band playing was a favourite of the Angel Project, a band consisting entirely of doctors called Martha Rocks. The good times didn’t end with the music; there were also raffles and a grand auction, all to raise funds for patients in need, and, as the Angel Project’s founder Lisette Kingo says, to “Give a voice to those who are forgotten.” It was a night of generosity, as individuals and companies all donated all towards one cause: helping patients with complex care needs. Some of the organizations that donated were Vibe, Define Hair Design, Kacaba, and more.
The funds from this year’s Straight from the Heart event are to go to three specific people; these three individuals have different conditions and are at various points in their lives, but all need help to stay at home safely and comfortably. Funds to fulfill their needs are not available elsewhere.
The first is a young man who was in a coma for a year and a half after a violent attack. He is now awake, but is non-verbal and paralyzed — and his family wants to bring him home to care for him. To do that, they need devices like a hospital bed and chairlift. Though the provincial government does pay for 75% of the costs of assistive devices, that other 25% can still be anywhere from $1000 to $20,000 — out of reach for many families who just want to bring their loved ones home.
The next patient in need of help is a 6-year-old girl with cerebral palsy. She has recently got a new, bigger wheelchair, but it doesn’t fit through the family’s apartment. Mom has had to carry her throughout their home, resulting in a back injury. Their home is in need of reconstruction so they can live there safely.
And the third patient is a woman with terminal cancer who wants to be at home with her two boys — but to do so, she needs an air mattress and bariatric bed, which cost $16,000. Without those items, Kingo notes that this woman is left with the choice of staying in hospital or a hospice for the remainder of her life (which could still be measured in years); the Angel Project wants to help get her home, her preference for whatever amount of time she has left.
The Angel Project is a Burlington-based charity that has been contributing to the community since 2008. It was formed by Kingo after a visit to the Complex Care unit at Parkwood Hospital left her alarmed at the unmet patient needs. Many patients are bound to complex care units at hospitals, be it due to chronic diseases or unfortunate accidents. These patients are forgotten by their families and society and are forced to spend their lives in these complex care units. However, these complex care units do not provide everything the patient needs. Hospitals do not provide basic hygienic items such as a toothbrush or soap. Thus, it became Kingo’s goal to create a charity that would help these patients live a close to normal life, to feel human, to not feel alone.
The Angel Project raises funds through donations or fundraisers, such as the one that was held on May 5 and their annual hockey tournament, called The Angel Tournament, where participants “skate for those who can’t.” 100% of the donations go to the Complex Care units at Joseph Brant Hospital or Parkwood Institute (in London, Ontario) or to the patients themselves. The charity strives to give the patients a better quality of life, not only by providing them with the basics, but also by providing them with comfort items such as stuffed animals, soft blankets, and even Christmas gifts. They also set aside funds for outings for these patients, for them to see the world outside, at least once a year per patient. Their patients have said, “The Angel Project and its volunteers are truly angels that walk among us.”
The Angel Project’s selfless charity works don’t only stop at that. They performed an exceptional feat by opening Burlington’s first Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) rehabilitation clinic.
POTS is a chronic condition that affects the autonomic nervous system and causes a rapid increase in heart rate upon standing, resulting in dizziness, lightheadedness, and even fainting. People with POTS often struggle with debilitating symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, headaches, and digestive issues, making simple tasks feel like a Herculean effort. Living with POTS can be a heart-wrenching experience, as it can be hard for others to understand the daily challenges that come with this invisible illness. It requires significant lifestyle changes and can be isolating, leaving those with POTS feeling misunderstood and unsupported.
Many people with POTS die by suicide yearly due to the detrimental effects of the condition itself and the mental health issues that can go along with it. Things like not being able to get up without fainting, and not even being able to take your child to the park, all while nobody noticing what you’re going through, can be truly pernicious. Few doctors specialize in POTS and diagnosis can be difficult.
This is why the opening of the clinic was such a huge accomplishment, especially for Kingo, as she is also a POTS patient. Dr. Juan Guzman, the leading POTS researcher in Canada, is supporting the clinic. He is very vocal with the team and is determined to make this clinic work in the favor of the community. A clinic with a specialized team is very important as there are many stages to POTS. It ranges from patients who are able to perform daily activities, while some are unable to stand. With access to a POTS program (including diet and appropriate physical training), though, patients’ lives can improve dramatically, underlining the importance of this clinic to people suffering in silence from POTS in our community.
If you missed the Straight from the Heart fundraiser but want to become one of the generous Angels, the Angel Project website lists a number of ways to get involved, including donating or adopting a patient.
