A brother and sister team are launching a new community program they hope will bring some light and hope to the lives of isolated seniors and others with mobility issues.
Mikaela Montagano, a sciences student at Simon Fraser University, and her brother Thomas, a student at St. Thomas More Collegiate, are offering at least 1,000 free canes to neighbours who need them.
“Seniors and others in our community have been socially and physically isolated from their families, friends and even communities,” during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Mikaela. “I want to create some positive, happy stories, where people can get active, smile, be happy and know that those living in our community are not alone.”
With COVID-19 restrictions on gathering, travelling, and isolating, it can be difficult to get an old, unsafe cane replaced, said Mikaela. So, the sister-brother duo launched Canes for a Change, a community initiative to offer free canes to anyone who needs a replacement.
“We’re giving out canes to whoever needs one,” said Mikaela. “If they have a cane, they can exchange it. If they don’t have one and need one, we can do that too.”
The canes are provided by B.C. MedEquip Home Health Care, their family’s medical equipment business, and offered for free thanks to community service grants from Vessi Footwear, the City of Coquitlam, and the Government of Canada.
“As youth members of the community, it is important for us to inspire and help others through acts of kindness to strengthen the role youth play within society, especially during times like this,” she said.
Mikaela and Thomas said their education at St. Thomas More Collegiate “taught us the importance to reach out to the community and help those in need.”
The siblings, with the help of student volunteers, will offer a drive thru cane exchange at the B.C. MedEquip offices in Burnaby Aug. 15 and 16. Anyone can arrive and, without stepping out of the car, drop off an old cane and pick up a new one while volunteers work wearing masks and gloves and handle canes with protective sleeves.
Canes for a Change has also contacted care homes in Coquitlam, Burnaby, and New Westminster to inquire about making free deliveries for residents.
Mikaela said canes should be replaced every couple of years, but the rubber tip on the bottom should be replaced as soon as it is worn out.
All old canes will be recycled and any funds will be donated to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.
More information is on the Canes for a Change Facebook Page.
