Easter Seal House and other programs

Easter Seals Houses

Since 1955, Easter Seals Houses have provided a "Home for Everyone" for children and families who need medical treatment or surgery, or are facing life threatening illness or trauma.  Easter Seals Houses in Vancouver and Victoria provide a low cost, caring place to stay for parents and children.  We provide over 32,000 night stays with professional staff, large rooms, activity-filled playrooms and a supportive atmosphere, where we strive to help both families and individual patients through trying times. 

In Victoria Easter Seals House opened its doors in 2000 to serve people on the Island that needed a place to stay while receiving medical treatment and many families and patients that stay with us are undergoing cancer treatment.

The Easter Seal House Society was formed and incorporated in April 1983 and approved by Revenue Canada by July 1983.

Today the Vancouver Easter Seals House hosts over 30,000 bednights per year, accommodating children and their families from all over British Columbia and the Yukon. 

Easter Seals Camps

In 1968 BC Easter Seals Camps began providing free overnight summer camping experiences for children and teens with physical and/or mental disabilities throughout British Columbia. We own and operate three accessible camp locations: Camp Shawnigan on Vancouver Island, Camp Squamish north of Vancouver, and Camp Winfield in the Okanagan Valley. Every summer over 800 kids with disabilities come to camp to have the best week of their summer.

“The cost to the Society to send a child to Easter Seals Camp is approximately $2,400; however, we only charge a nominal administration fee per camper. The rest of the costs are covered by special events and through the generous donations of individuals and companies.”

The first camp to open was Camp Winfield in 1968. Camp Squamish opened in 1976 then a few years later in 1979 Camp Shawnigan opened.

Camp includes, heated pools, covered outdoor eating areas, BBQ pits outdoor camping areas, climbing walls, low ropes courses, giant swings and the first wheelchair accessible treehouse (Camp Squamish only), and many other wheelchair accessible areas, these three camps are a delight to all.

Timmy's Christmas Telethon

In 1977 the Annual Timmy's Christmas Telethon was broadcasted across BC.  Each year in December Lions/Lioness Clubs, donors, sponsors, Campers and Easter Seals House Guests would participate in a very successful event to raise money for the children.

The Telethon was the most financially successful Telethon per capital in Canada and raised over 83 million for the kids in the 23 years it aired on CBC TV and its affiliate stations.  The Telethon had over 1 million viewers watching the show for a dedicated 19 hours.

The kids were represented by the many Timmy's like 1996 Timmy Representative, 10 year old Aaron Broverman of Surrey, BC who was a two time participant in the BC Games for Athletes with Disabilities, winning three gold medals and a silver in the club tos, shot put and relay.  He enjoyed attending BC Easter Seals Camp Squamish each year and played an active role during the Telethon.

In 2011 Timmy's Christmas Telethon was brought back to the airwaves.  Held in December the Telethon runs live on Shaw TV, Shaw Direct and Live Stream through the website.  Timmy's Telethon hosts a variety of local BC talent as well as showcases Easter Seals Services and Kids as well as bringing back some of our past Easter Seals Representatives such as Marco Pasqua.

Patient Care Grants

The families of children with disabilities often face extremely high costs, not covered by other medical plans. Patient Care Grants cover some of the costs for therapeutic equipment and prosthetics as well as transportation and accommodation to Easter Seals House.

Each year, the Patient Care Grants Program provides financial assistance to many families of children with special needs in BC, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories.

Assistance includes:

• Special Equipment: wheelchairs, splints, braces, van hoists, and ramps
• Prosthesis: artificial limbs and orthotic devices, prosthetics
• Accommodations: for the child and an accompanying family member to stay during medical or rehabilitative treatments

Each year the Society funds grants to families directly from revenues received exclusively through donations and fundraising. The society receives no government assistance in support of the Patient Care Program.

Wherever possible the assistance is provided discreetly so that families can focus on their most important task ... caring for the children.

Contact Us
British Columbia Lions Society for Children with Disabilities  & Easter Seals BC & Yukon
Vancouver Office:3981 Oak Street Vancouver, BC  V6H 4H5  Tel: 604-873-1865 Fax: 604-873-0166  Toll Free: 1-800-818-4483 Email: info@lionsbc.ca


Victoria Office:2095 Granite Street Victoria, BC  V8S 3G5Tel: 250-370-0518 Fax: 250-370-5098 Toll Free: 1-888-868-2822Email: info@forthekidsbc.org

 BC Easter Seals Summer Camp InquiriesTel: 604-873-1865 Fax: 604-873-0166  Toll Free: 1-800-818-4483 Email: camp@lionsbc.ca

 Camp Rental Inquiries
Camp Squamish 1-604-898-3122 Email: campsq@shaw.ca
Camp Shawnigan 1-250-743-3013 Email: campshawnigan@shawbiz.ca
Camp Winfield 1-250-766-2186 Email: campwinfield@shawbiz.ca 

 Easter Seals House Vancouver3981 Oak Street  Vancouver, BC  V6H 4H5  Tel: 604-736-3475 Fax: 604-736-3495 Reservations only: 1-800-818-3666   Email: eshousevcr@lionsbc.ca (Note: we do not take reservations online)