March of Dimes helps stroke survivors
By Joan Janzen
March of Dimes is a community-based rehabilitation and advocacy charity for people with physical disabilities. Loralie Wagner, the organization’s Regional Manager in interior and northern BC, is no stranger to Saskatchewan.
Originally from Eston, she managed the Kindersley Mall from 2005 to 2014. “March of Dimes is fairly new to BC, and we’re in our infancy in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba,” she explained. “I would like to change that, but I know it takes time and cooperation from people.”
PHOTO: Former Eston resident, Loralie Wagner, is Regional Manager of the March of Dimes Canada in Interior and Northern B.C. She is hoping to strengthen the organization’s presence in the prairie provinces.
The organization has been serving Canadians for decades, having a strong presence in Ontario and the Maritime provinces. “It provides support and resources to people with disabilities, and stroke survivors, which is the umbrella that my position falls under,” she explained. “As an example, we work very closely with the Heart and Stroke Foundation. They provide education pre-stroke, and the March of Dimes provides post-stroke support.”
While residing in Eston, Loralie always had a hand in volunteerism, and working in the Eston Health Centre sparked her love for the elderly and disabled. So it was a good fit for her to work for the March of Dimes after moving to the Okanogan in 2014.
The non-profit organization’s mission is for people with disabilities to gain independence and community participation. They do this by providing tools to help with their daily living and by providing social and recreational programs.
Survivors and their caregivers can contact the March of Dimes and speak to a staff member who will walk them through available programs. They conduct webinars about non-traditional approaches to stroke recovery, and the health benefits of yoga and “why you should be dancing” are two of those approaches. The resources are not only helpful but offered free of charge.
“Of course, that all takes financial support, and no one does that better than prairie small towns,” Loralie said. “We want to ensure that we have the resources available to meet the needs of all Canadians virtually and in growing instances in person.”
Loralie firmly believes that small communities are the backbone of our provinces, and she has seen firsthand how supportive they are of their neighbours. She has currently been tasked with promoting their June fundraiser and awareness of all that March of Dimes provides.
When someone is discharged from the hospital after suffering a stroke, the survivor or their caregiver can register online or call, and the March of Dimes puts them in touch with one of their After Stroke Coordinators. The coordinators provide resources and support, both in their communities as well as virtually, that can help survivors and caregivers through their stroke journey. Because the process can be extremely difficult, it is vitally important to be able to communicate with someone who understands.
Loralie explained how the March of Dimes is working towards creating awareness of the virtual programming available to stroke survivors across Canada. Step Up For Stroke is one of those programs, and the theme for this year is “What’s your 89?” Over 89,000 strokes occur annually in Canada, and the numbers are rising, creating an urgent need for support for stroke survivors.
The organization relies 100% on the kind donations of Canadians. For more information about the March of Dimes and their June fundraiser, “Step Up For Stroke,” check out marchofdimes.ca.