New Employment Insurance Program: Leucan families' voices finally heard!

MONTREAL, Aug. 7, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Following today's federal government announcement regarding the creation of a new employment insurance (EI) program for parents of gravely ill children, Leucan is very pleased with this progress towards financial support for its members.

For the past years, through advocacy actions, Leucan has been active in bringing to the public eye the needs of families coping on a daily basis with the impact of a paediatric cancer. In Quebec, in the last 12 months, 231 children were diagnosed with a cancer and joined Leucan. The diagnostic of cancer has major impacts in the lives of families, both socially and psychologically, but also financially. In order to deal with the demanding requirements during the treatments, parents often have to make choices, including the one to quite their jobs or take extended leaves.

The Employment Insurance Act provides compassion care benefits for people who have to be away from work temporarily to provide care or support to a family member who is gravely ill and who has a significant risk of death within six months. Because of medical progress, survival rates for cancer-stricken children now reach 82% and few families qualify for the compassion care benefits, caring for a gravely ill child during its treatment not being accounted for.

On February 15, 2011, Leucan filed a motion to the House of Commons to raise awareness of Members of Parliament in order to obtain a parental leave and financial benefits for up to 52 weeks, under the EI Act, for the parents of gravely ill children. In Spring 2012, Leucan, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Paediatric Society, along with the Childhood Cancer Foundation united their efforts to reiterate this demand to federal authorities.

The new EI program announced today will allow parents to receive financial compensation for up to 35 weeks. ″This new EI program will meet important needs for our families. As of now, their eligibility to EI benefits will give them a certain respite and allow them to concentrate on caring for their child during treatments.″, says Sandro Di Cori, Executive Director at Leucan.

Leucan: A family history since 1978. In addition to its support to clinical research, the Association provides specific and tailored services to more than 3,300 families of cancer-stricken children: welcome, emotional assistance and support, financial assistance, massage therapy, hosting and support in playrooms, socio-recreational activities, school life services, end-of-life and bereavement follow-up, the Leucan Information Centre. Apart from its head office in Montreal, Leucan has eight regional offices.

SOURCE: LEUCAN

Guillaume Rivest
Communications | Leucan
514 731-3696 or 1 800 361-9646, ext. 514
[email protected]