On Air With Chai

Thank you to all for your support of our podcast. Thank you to the listeners, you could have chosen something else to listen to, but you decided to listen to us and the amazing stories our families have to share. Thank you to our Chai Lifeline guests for allowing others into your lives and sharing your incredible stories with the world. Thank you our professional guests who took the time out of their very busy days to be with us and expound their knowledge. We will be back with Season 2, so stay tuned. 

Bracha Silver’s journey is one of positivity and resilience in the face of her son’s terminal cancer diagnosis. Hear how this single mother of five cared for her son through his last days, making her home a place of spirituality, personal growth and joy for the whole community. Since then, Bracha and her family have embodied giving back - raising hundreds of thousands of dollars in Avi’s memory for Chai Lifeline Canada to support families facing illness.

Rik Zortman aka the Human Etch-A-Sketch is a sad story of loss and grief. Rik takes us through his story and his grief and how he has learned to cope with the loss of his son. You'll learn why he is called the Human Etch-A-Sketch. 

This episode of On Air with Chai features former client Eden Filonov, her Case Manager, Dina Benayon and their enduring friendship. Their story is a moving example of the strong relationships that are central to providing support to a young person who is fighting critical illness. There is something about these two, though, that takes everything to the next level. No spoilers here, grab some tissue for your happy tears and listen up.

Dr. Ronald Cohn went from not being interested in science in high school, to becoming the CEO of SickKids Hospital in Toronto. In this episode of On Air with Chai, we talk with Dr. Cohn about the trials and tribulations of running one of the largest children's hospitals in North America. He discusses what it was like from his perspective during the pandemic and shares that he continues to see patients in the hospital and genetic research at his lab.

Amanda Kauffman’s dream of becoming Canada’s World Junior Figure Skating champion was put on hold with a diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma when she was 17 years-old. She applied the drive and discipline from skating to her treatment and recovery - working toward her number one goal of getting back on the ice. With the love and support of her family, teammates, and coaches she did just that - competing with her team at the World Championships in Croatia. Check out the latest podcast episode of On Air with Chai, featuring the strength, inspiration and triumph of Amanda Kauffman.

Join us as we speak with Moshe Turke, who opened the Chai Lifeline Mid-West office in Chicago at the young age of 20 in 1995. He also co-create Team Lifeline where the team started off as 24 runners and raised $150,000 in 2006 and have grown the team to 200+ runners and raising $3.5million currently. 

Asaph talks to us about his son Gabriel's diagnosis of cancer. He goes into great detail about how they got through the hardest of times as a family, their response to the treatment plan and even as far as creating a treatment plan that may have very well saved his son. We hope that you gain insight, hope, inspiration and strength from this incredible story. 

In part 2 of our conversation, we continue the discussion of the importance of Case Managers. We dive into the realm of fundraising, and the importance of Chai Lifeline in times of crisis.  Enjoy Part 2 

Starting a business from scratch is no easy feat, starting a charity from scratch is even harder. Relying on the generosity of others in order to be able to provide programs and services for Chai Lifeline families, takes a lot of hard work. When you have such an incredibly worthy cause such as helping children who are either terminally or chronically ill, the generosity of others comes pouring in. On our inaugural episode, we speak with Rabbi Simcha Scholar the founder and CEO of Chai Lifeline. We discuss where the idea of Chai Lifeline came from, its initial roots in Camp Simcha and expanding into Case Management. This is Part 1 of a 2 part conversation.

Chai Lifeline Canada offers a myriad of services and programs to children and families living with illness. Case management, one of our services, is one-on-one personal support by a trained professional who is there to offer support to families in all areas. We’re lucky to have a wonderful case management team, with each member excelling in different areas. Our newest addition to the team, Yossi Turpin, is no different and is building relationships and making meaningful impacts after only a few months.

CHAI LIFELINE CANADA SUPPORTS CHILDREN AND PARENTS WHO ARE FACING LIFE-THREATENING OR LIFE-LONG ILLNESS by providing services that foster resilience and hope for the whole family.  We lead with dedication and integrity and bring empathy, respect, and humility to the families and community we serve. While medical teams at the hospital are focused on the immediate health of an ill child or parent, Chai Lifeline Canada is dedicated to the wellbeing of the patient and their family. We provide a powerful combination of programs and services – dedicated Case Managers and therapeutic programs, tutoring and medically supervised summer camps, hot meals and hospital visits, and social activities. We nurture our families with love and community. Listen today as we discuss the journeys of Chai Lifeline Canada Clients, how they persevered and inspired hope and strength in others. We have the great honor of speaking with Dr. Ronald Cohn CEO of Sick Kids Toronto, Rabbi Simcha Scholar CEO of Chai Lifeline and other incredible Drs and specialists. 

In 2021, we initiated an Annual Campaign to help raise the necessary funds to revitalize five areas of Chai Lifeline Canada. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we successfully raised enough to begin this process, starting with our Volunteer Department. Our volunteer department ensures that every member of every Chai Lifeline Canada family is supported.

Navigating the endemic: tools to promote children's wellness as they reintegrate into a new world. Chai lifeline Canada is bringing together a panel of experts who work with children, teens, and parents in the fields of Mental health, Wellness and Medicine. This is an opportunity for families struggling to find balance with the ever-changing restrictions to answer pressing questions and gain valuable insight and knowledge.