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Supporting families experiencing
financial hardship due to a child's illness
The Michel and Yolande Bastarache Foundation supports families who have a child that suffers from an incurable disease or a major health problem that significantly affects their income.
The Michel and Yolande Bastarache Foundation provides financial support to families facing the illness of a child under the age of 18.
Financial support when a child's
illness changes everything
When a child or young person faces a major illness or health problem, parents and families must deal with the emotional stress that comes with unexpected costs, uncertainty, and daily challenges.
The Michel and Yolande Bastarache Foundation was born out of a deeply human desire: to offer concrete support to families going through challenges, to alleviate an often heavy financial burden, and to strengthen compassion, solidarity and community.
The Michel and Yolande Bastarache Foundation
Retired Supreme Court of Canada Justice Michel Bastarache established the Michel and Yolande Bastarache Foundation to honour his wife and partner of over 50 years. She lovingly and devotedly cared for their two children until their untimely deaths—one at age four and the other at seventeen—from the same incurable nervous system disorder that left them completely disabled.
Throughout this period, and with his wife’s support, Mr. Bastarache pursued a remarkable legal career that led him to the Supreme Court of Canada, where he served for eleven years.
Before Yolande’s passing in 2019, Mr. Bastarache promised her he would do something to help families of sick children. This foundation is the result of that promise.
The Michel and Yolande Bastarache Foundation received registered charity status from the Canada Revenue Agency in 2026. Its mission is to provide financial assistance to families experiencing a loss of income due to their child’s illness. The child must be between the ages of 0 and 17 and undergoing treatment for cancer or a serious illness that requires particularly costly care or equipment.
Throughout this period, and with his wife’s support, Mr. Bastarache pursued a remarkable legal career that led him to the Supreme Court of Canada, where he served for eleven years.
Before Yolande’s passing in 2019, Mr. Bastarache promised her he would do something to help families of sick children. This foundation is the result of that promise.
The Michel and Yolande Bastarache Foundation received registered charity status from the Canada Revenue Agency in 2026. Its mission is to provide financial assistance to families experiencing a loss of income due to their child’s illness. The child must be between the ages of 0 and 17 and undergoing treatment for cancer or a serious illness that requires particularly costly care or equipment.
Our mission
The Foundation financially supports families where a member under the age of 18 has a serious illness or major health problems that cause considerable expenses for the family.
Our vision
Our vision is to offer timely, human and accessible support, allowing families to better cope with their child's illness.
Our Purpose
The Michel and Yolande Bastarache Foundation aims to help families affected by a child's illness cope with the numerous financial constraints that this causes, within the limits of our means.
Some examples of applications that may be eligible include:
- Help the family pay for a better quality piece of medical equipment that will facilitate the care of the child at home;
- Help the family with travel expenses to get the best possible care for the child; or
- Help cover any other costs that may help the child live better with the condition.
All applications must first have been submitted to the appropriate government department for consideration.
Unfortunately, it will be impossible for us to respond positively to all requests received.
Eligibility
Criteria
The parents and the child must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents* and live in New Brunswick.
*Proof of permanent residence is required.
The child must have been diagnosed with cancer or a serious life-threatening illness.
The child should not be older than 17 years of age unless he is still being monitored in a children's hospital.
The child must currently be monitored by a doctor (official letter required).
The family must have incurred significant expenses directly related to the child's illness.
All sources of government assistance should have been explored prior to applying.
All forms of financial assistance (government grants, crowdfunding campaigns, etc.) must be declared.
Important
For their application to be evaluated, the family must provide a letter from the attending physician confirming the diagnosis and future treatments, as well as all documentation related to their application.
In the case of specialized medical equipment, provide a letter from the attending physician outlining how the equipment in question could improve the child's comfort or alleviate the burden of home care. The request must be accompanied by two quotes from companies that provide specialized medical equipment.
Please note that the Foundation has limited financial resources and that applications will only be accepted within the limits of available budgets. It is therefore possible that your request cannot be accepted at the time it is submitted and that it must be put on hold.
How to Apply for Assistance
Before you start your request, take the time to gather the
required information and documents. It will be important to write down all the elements
that can allow us to better understand your situation and assess your eligibility.
Apply for Assistancerequired information and documents. It will be important to write down all the elements
that can allow us to better understand your situation and assess your eligibility.
1
Verify Eligibility
Parent 1 must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and the family must be a resident of New Brunswick.
2
Fill Out the Form
Complete all required fields and provide as much detail as possible, especially in the Supporting Information section, to explain your situation and challenges.
3
Upload the requested documents
You will need to attach:
• a letter from the attending physician confirming the diagnosis and care provided;
• one or more photos of the child (good quality photos), which could be used to promote the mission.
• a letter from the attending physician confirming the diagnosis and care provided;
• one or more photos of the child (good quality photos), which could be used to promote the mission.
4
Confirm Your Commitments
At the final stage, you will confirm that the information is accurate, that you will provide the required documents (including, upon request, the most recent notice of assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency), that you authorize the use of the photos if the request is accepted.
5
Submit your request (or save for later)
Once the form is complete, click Submit. You can also save your request for later if you still have documents to gather.
If you want to know more or to make a request,
contact us.
contact us.
