Displaced by Inn of Waterloo fire, HopeSpring looks for new home

Organizers with theHopeSpringCancer Support Centre are in the midst of finding a new homeafter being uprooted by the same fire thatdisplaced a men's shelter at the Inn of Waterloo.

Shawn Hlowatzki, president of HopeSpring's board of directors, toldCBCKitchener-Waterloohe only learnedabout the fireseveral hours after it happened Tuesday evening.

"I just showedup and grabbed what I could knowing that people who were having their surgeries that same week would still get their camisoles, that they still could get their wigs," he said.

The centre helps cancer patients with appropriate wardrobe, wigs and counselling as they prepare for and undergo treatment.

Smoke damage

Throughout the pandemic, HopeSpring has been serving a catchment area of over a million people across Waterloo region, Wellington county and even communities inBruce and Grey counties, according to Hlowatski.

Staff normally hand deliver care packages andwigs, masks and camisoles for breast cancer patients.

Although nothing was destroyed in the fire, Hlowatzki said they are now dealing with dozens of items that may have been damaged by smoke.

"Knowing that our members, who are requesting items from us, are generallygoing through chemo and radiation, we have to be very, very careful that we are are not providing an item that has smoke damage or could cause any health issue," he explained.

He says they are working with professionals to asses the damage in hope ofsalvagingitems.

Looking for new home

Hlowatzkisaid as the organization moves forward, they are looking for alternative space. The Inn of Waterloo was used for administration, some in-personservices and storage.

"If a business, company or someone has space that could potentially be available in the future, HopeSpring is very open to all of those things, including building community partner relationships," he said.

He addsthat the Inn of Waterloo has offered alternative space in their building, which is underconsideration.

Hlowatzkisaid as the province begins to re-allowin-person services to clients, "We will be one of the last to do that because of the immune compromisationof our members."

"We have to be very, very safe and virtual is such a big part of what the future will look like, so HopeSpring is exploring where we will be."

The best way people cansupport HopeSpring right now is through financial donations, Hlowatzki says, asthe organization does not receive financial fundingfrom any level of government.