The Beginning of Little Angels
Little Angels has been providing financial help to blood cancer and stem cell transplant patients since 1996.
Little Angels charity founder Diane George-Wiggins chose the heavenly name after connecting with a five-year-old girl named Monica, who like herself, was receiving a bone marrow transplant.
Back in 1994, Diane was battling a late stage of leukemia that involved a very challenging bone marrow transplant. Still looking beyond her own situation, her heart was broken to see how a young child had to battle for her life, when the little girl had yet to live that life.
During Diane’s own illness, she struggled financially because she had to stop working. She quickly learned that expenses essential to effective access to treatment, such as travel, gas, groceries, accommodations for out-of-town patients, childcare and so much more weren’t covered by other programs.
During her treatment, she vowed that if she made it, she’d “start a charity to help others” with those non-medical costs. She kept that vow and was able to create Little Angels in Ottawa, Ontario, in March 1996.
Diane discovered there were multiple sources of funding for children undergoing treatment at CHEO. Consequently, she decided to establish Little Angels at The Ottawa Hospital where children over a certain body weight were treated, and where support for those patients was very much needed.
It soon became clear that there were also many adult blood cancer patients experiencing financial difficulty, and Little Angels was expanded to include them as well.
That was the genesis of the Little Angels mandate: To provide financial assistance to blood cancer and stem cell transplant patients to access treatment while they struggle with their disease, and to assist with non-medical costs.
Initially, Diane raised money by publishing the story of her journey, “How I Survived a Bone Marrow Transplant for Leukemia.” She sold over 500 copies and used the proceeds to sponsor a Cancer Fun Day at CHEO for children with cancer, with Max Keeping as emcee.
After Diane appeared on local television, the word spread, and donors starting calling. She applied the remaining balance from Cancer Fun Day to founding “The Little Angels and Bone Marrow Transplant Fund” which is administered by the Ottawa Hospital.
In 2008, the name of the charity was changed to the “Little Angels Blood Cancer Fund” to reflect the scope of patients being helped.
Today, Little Angels is run by a volunteer group of former patients and others who share Diane’s mission and her hope to gain more support from the community and local organizations, so that Little Angels can continue to respond to the ever increasing need for help.
To contact Diane George-Wiggins: angelabby22@outlook.com
