HopeSpring Cancer Centre to close over funding shortfall

For 21 years it has served asa one-stop-shop for cancer patients seeking services, but Kitchener-based HopeSpring Cancer Support Centre has announced it will close at the end of February.

The centre has relied 100 per cent on community donations, but in recent years,that money has fallen short of covering the centre's expenses.

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Executive director Gerard Seguin said the board of directors made the decision to wind down the centre.

"A lot of charities would have simply let the clock run out, drain the bank account and put a chain on the door and say out of business," he said.

1,500 members used centre last year

HopeSpring offered a number of services, including parent and children support, relaxation, yoga, nutrition, ways to get better sleep, and workshops for caregivers.

Last year, 1,500 individual people used the centre's services. Seguin said they hope by winding down, it will give people time to access other services. HopeSpring is also helping connect members to those alternative services.

"We're going to do everything we can to gently pass people along to community-based resources to help them with their own cancer diagnosis," he said.

Five people will be unemployed when the centre closes on Feb. 28, Seguin said.

As well, a letter to HopeSpring supporters sent out Wednesday night noted any donations that are not spent "will be given to a local charity to support needed programs and services within the community."