About Us
How We Accomplish Our Mission
FUNDRAISING
Little Angels raises funds that hospital social workers use to assist qualified patients. All money raised goes into an account at The Ottawa Hospital. Social workers can draw on this account to provide funds to patients struggling with non-medical costs related to their treatment.
VOLUNTEERS
Our main fundraising source comes from volunteers who gather pledges to support their participation in the Gatineau Loppet or the February Activity Challenge. We also raise funds through an auction or lottery at the biannual Blood and Marrow Transplant picnic.
GIFTS
Former blood cancer and stem cell transplant patients, their families or friends often decide to gift Little Angels. The Ottawa Hospital Foundation receives these gifts on our behalf.
SOCIAL WORKERS
Social workers interview patients to identify those who are eligible for Little Angels support. They dispense funds to eligible patients and maintain records of patient payments. They report to Little Angels regarding patient expenditures and changes in hospital plans and policies.
For patients and their families of limited financial means, treatment presents a real and significant financial hardship – travel, time off work for family members who often act as caregivers supporting loved ones cared for in a distant hospital. Overcoming this lack of support for non-medical costs, but nevertheless very significant barriers to treatment, I see as the main benefit of Little Angels.
Dr. Lothar Huebsch, Hematology
The Little Angels Board
The Little Angels Board consists of individuals who, through their life experience, understand the challenges and pressures our patients can encounter.
The board establishes the criteria the hospital social workers use to determine the patients who qualify for Little Angels support. The Board also provides policy and other guidance to social workers to help them determine types and extent of assistance available to patients.
The Board functions as a team and works closely with the hospital social workers, doctors and nurses. As one of the hematology doctors said:
Little Angels efforts continue to provide critical support of patients that keep coming through our doors. Many of these patients face a lot of challenges just getting here and staying in Ottawa throughout their transplant and your Fund helps them to make it through. Keep up the great work.
