Kamloops, B.C., girl raises $1,500 selling lemonade to pay for brother's autism assessment
CBC
When eight-year-old Emma English discovered her younger brother would have to wait up to three years for an autism assessment, she took it upon herself to raise funds for a faster, private diagnosis.
A Sunday lemonade stand held in front of the family's Kamloops home earned a total of $1,500, surpassing Emma's initial goal of $200.
"A lot of people gave me a lot of money," said Emma.
Despite describing her brother as "a little annoying," Emma said she wanted to step up and help him because she cares about him.
Emma's mother, Cara English, said her four-year-old son Bodhi needs a timely diagnosis in order to attend kindergarten next year— a diagnosis experts say is critical in order to access funding and support, but which increasingly requires multi-year waits to access.
"Helping him now will help him for life," said Cara. "If he can't do it until he is six or seven years old, he's lost all those years that he could have learned so many coping skills."
Bodhi is a fun, loving child, says Cara, but his emotional outbursts make him hard to manage.
She says several professionals, including Bodhi's speech therapist and occupational therapist, have recommended having him assessed for autism.
But she was told by their family doctor that an assessment through public health care would take two to three years, and a faster private assessment would cost close to $4,000.
Cara said Emma overheard her talking about the problem one day.
"She said she wanted to help," said Cara. "She has a heart of gold."
Cara said she was shocked when she woke up on Sunday to discover a Facebook post she had made about the lemonade stand being shared widely.
She had provided her email address in response to one person who requested it to send a donation, and woke up to at least seven e-transfers.
She said several people with similar stories have stopped by the lemonade stand to share advice and provide donations.
Air Canada passengers who were aboard Flight 8646 when the CRJ-900 aircraft struck a fire truck upon landing at New York's LaGuardia Airport on Sunday evening say the collision was sudden and forceful, and they may owe their lives to the pilots who died in the incident.
Cardiac services are set to expand at a Winnipeg hospital once regarded as one of the best in Canada for heart care.
A 26-second TikTok video has ignited a larger conversation about vulnerable populations, theft and content creation.
Some family doctors and emergency room physicians working in Edmonton hospitals warn that an April 1 end to stipend pay arrangements could put patient care at risk and increase suffering.
An Auditor General of Canada report has found that B.C. saw drastically fewer international students than was forecast ever since wide-ranging federal immigration cuts began in 2024.
Six years after e-learning became a mandatory requirement to get an Ontario high school diploma, students don't appear to be taking online school to diversify their course selection as the province had intended, according to a CBC News analysis of provincial enrolment data.
Sarnia City Council will hold a special meeting Tuesday morning to respond to social media comments made by Coun. Bill Dennis, who criticized city spending on a new mural by Indigenous artist Kennady Osborne as “virtue signalling by woke politicians” — then made a series of comments in response to a reply from Aamjiwnaang Chief Janelle Nahmabin that some have characterized as unprofessional and aggressive.
While many Albertans continue to feel the pinch at the pump, Premier Danielle Smith says the government is not considering any fuel tax breaks, as it does not believe it will make much of a difference.
WARNING: This story contains disturbing details about gruesome deaths and sexual abuse.
Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) says they will take part in the federal government's buyback program for assault-style rifles this year, but a local member of parliament says she "can't get behind this decision."
The use of American contracts and services is down by nearly half on Prince Edward Island following tariffs and shaky trade relations under the Donald Trump administration.
The first set of deadlines included in the energy and climate deal struck between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith are not expected to be met, showing early challenges with the agreement that includes pursuing a new export pipeline from Alberta to the West Coast.
Mayoral-hopeful Coun. Brad Bradford is calling for a host of safety measures across Toronto’s subway system, including a specific focus on platform edge doors, with a motion before city council this week.