Safeway and its Employees Continue Essential Support for Wellness Programs

Safeway and its employees across Northwestern Ontario are thrilled to be continuing their support of  WE-Can (a Wellness and Exercise Program for Individuals Living with Cancer) and the Rehabilitation and Healthy Lifestyles Program with a gift of $14,543.  

The WE-Can program was started in 2009, and provides a group-based exercise and wellness program for participants who are either in active cancer treatment or up to five years post-treatment. With a focus on exercise and healthy living, the program runs twice a week for 10 weeks at the Canada Games Complex.

Funded entirely through donations, the WE-Can program relies on the support from our generous community and Safeway and its employees stepped up to ensure the program could run again this Fall. In addition, a third session of the WE-Can program will be added to the existing annual schedule of two sessions per year. The winter session will start January, allowing for those on the existing waitlist to get started on their road to wellness, without having to wait until the spring session.

Manager of Preventive Health Services at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Kelly-Jo Gillis, was thrilled with the news. “I can’t begin to tell you how much this means to our program participants, many of whom were on a wait list to get started. Thanks to Safeway and its employees, more people can benefit from the holistic support that this program provides, including physical activity, healthy eating, and mental wellness components. Many of the participants who have gone through the program say it is life changing. We work with them to give them back their strength and help them to improve their quality of life. For some, this program has given them the jump start towards exercise and healthy eating that they never had before their cancer diagnosis.”

Additionally the donation will be used to enhance access to the Rehabilitation and Healthy Lifestyles Program for residents across Northwestern Ontario. “We serve clients from all across our region,” said Kyle Baysarowich, Coordinator, Rehabilitation and Healthy Lifestyles Program. “This donation will enhance our ability to connect with our clients through technology, allowing us to better fulfill our commitment of providing access to exceptional care without the inconvenience of travel.”

Spokesperson Natalina Porpiglia Dafnis, the Community Investment Specialist, Sobeys Inc. shared, “Our company and employees care about the communities they serve.  Together, we want to work with partners like the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation to assist important programs that provide support to those who are in need across Northwestern Ontario.  The investments in these two programs are all in an effort to support the program participants to live a healthy lifestyle through exercise, food and nutrition.”