EASTER SEALS TO HELP CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES ACCESS ESSENTIAL ACCESSIBILITY EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY WITH CIBC SUPPORT

March 2022 — Easter Seals is pleased to announce that CIBC has donated $100,000 to help support access to essential accessibility equipment and adaptive devices for children with disabilities. This marks the fourth year in a row that CIBC has been supporting Easter Seals’ AccessAbility Program, with donations now totaling $250,000 in support of families across Canada.

Since 2018, CIBC’s support has enabled Easter Seals to directly help approximately 100 children and their families acquire equipment and technology needed to move around independently, communicate with others, and to fully participate at school, in extra-curricular activities, and in their communities. A range of equipment such as mobility devices, hearing and speech aids, home modifications like lifts and ramps, learning and communication devices and software, and bath and toileting aids have all been provided through the program. Hundreds more children and families have also benefitted from access to shared equipment, such as specialized strollers, hippocampe beach and all-terrain wheelchairs that can be loaned out from certain provincial Easter Seals organizations.

“The generous support from CIBC over the years has made a life-changing and transformative difference in the lives of so many children and families,” said Dave Starrett, President and CEO of Easter Seals Canada. “Adaptive equipment and devices can be very expensive, especially for families with young children with disabilities whose equipment needs and requirements change as they grow. CIBC’s contribution has therefore helped reduce the financial strain experienced by so many families. No parent or caregiver should have to choose between providing essential equipment for their child or paying the electricity bill. We are immensely grateful to CIBC for their ongoing support.”

One such beneficiary of the AccessAbility program is Nathan, a 13-year-old who was born with a medical condition that affects his ability to walk. In 2020, he received essential Ankle-Foot Orthoses (AFOs) that provide the support he needs to weight bear, reducing pain and making physiotherapy sessions more effective as he strives towards his goal of walking. His mother expressed the impact the equipment and support have had on their family:

“A lot of people don’t realize or understand the cost of medical equipment. Trying to keep up with daily bills plus the cost of medical equipment can be extremely stressful. Thanks to Easter Seals and CIBC, a lot of financial stress is lifted. Because of people like you, we are able to obtain the equipment that our child desperately needed. We can focus our attention on our child’s health and appointments, and not on how we make it financially possible [and] I as a parent can sleep at night knowing my son has the equipment he needs. I can’t thank you enough.”

“Easter Seals has been a catalyst in making ambitions of Canadians living with disabilities and their families a reality,” said Andrew Greenlaw, Vice President, Community and Client Relationships, CIBC. “We’re proud to continue our support of their team’s efforts to enhance the quality of life, well-being, and independence of Canadians living with disabilities through this donation.”

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