Annette Scott was in the middle of chemotherapy treatment for colon cancer when she got the chance to give back to the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS).
She’d been watching patients at her local cancer centre navigate the logistical, financial and emotional challenges of getting to their treatment appointments with the help of the “invaluable” staff and volunteers at Daffodil Place in St. John’s — a home-away-from-home for cancer patients who are in the area for treatment. The 24-hour facility offers affordable accommodations, three hot meals and snacks daily, as well as transportation to and from medical appointments.
So when the Conception Bay lawyer heard about the CCS’s Free Wills program — in which Newfoundlanders 55 and older can have a straightforward will drafted at no cost — she immediately volunteered her legal expertise. She prepared 31 wills through the program last May.
“I enjoyed getting to meet so many people and sharing stories about cancer treatment and survival,” says Scott. “It was uplifting for me — and a help in getting through the lingering effects of surgery and chemotherapy, which lasted into last summer.”
Free Wills Month brings awareness to the many programs and services offered by the CCS, as well as the importance of supporting the CCS through gifts in wills. While anyone participating in the Free Wills program isn’t required to include a donation to the CCS, Scott says many do. Last year, her 31 wills resulted in several thousand dollars in bequests.
Typically, a person’s will might include a bequest of a set amount (such as $1,000) to their favourite charity, but the CCS is encouraging people to leave what’s called a “residual gift.” It means that after all of your expenses are paid and inheritances are distributed, anything that’s left over in your estate goes to the charity of your choice — whether it’s $100 or $500,000.
Scott says residual gifts are immensely helpful for maintaining the CCS’s ongoing programs and services in Newfoundland and Labrador.
“Our population is spread out over a large geographic area. Traveling from one part of the province to another can be extremely expensive,” says Scott. “Many people have to leave their homes and jobs to travel for cancer treatment for themselves, or to help care for their family members. We need to support these families through such difficult times.”
Scott says she owes her life to the CCS’s research funding that makes great advances in helping people live longer and enhancing their quality of life.
“Had I been diagnosed with cancer many years ago, perhaps I might not have survived — but I am alive and healthy today,” says Scott.
Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest incidences of new cancers in all of Canada, and these rates are only expected to rise as the population ages.
“If you don’t have a will, it may cost your family much in time, money and inconvenience,” says Scott. “No one wants that for their family while they are going through the grief of losing a loved one.”
“Everyone should have a will, so why do it yourself when you can have it done for free by a qualified professional?”
The Free Wills campaign runs throughout the month of May. Appointments with participating law firms must be booked this month even if they’re scheduled for a later date. For more information on how and where to have your will drafted at no cost, please visit freewillsmonth.ca/ccs.