Our Journey From Cancer Warriors to a Foundation
The Glen Adnam Cancer Comfort Basket Foundation did not begin as a formal organization.
It began with a personal loss, a simple idea, and a desire to bring comfort to people facing cancer.
Before there was a foundation name, a long-term plan, or a larger vision, there was Cancer Warriors.
That early project became the starting point for everything we are building today.
Where Cancer Warriors Began
Cancer Warriors began as a community effort to support people going through cancer.
The first event took place in 2021 and focused on creating comfort baskets for people facing breast cancer.
The idea was simple but meaningful.
We wanted to collect thoughtful items that could make treatment days, hospital visits, and difficult moments feel a little less lonely.
The baskets included practical comforts, encouraging messages, and small reminders that the person receiving them was cared for.
At the time, I did not know exactly how far the project would go.
I only knew that I wanted to do something that mattered.
A Mission Shaped by Personal Loss
Cancer Warriors was deeply connected to my own experience with cancer and grief.
My dad, Glen Adnam, was diagnosed with tonsil squamous cell carcinoma. His cancer later spread to his bones and liver.
Watching him go through cancer changed our family.
It showed me how much support matters, not only for the patient, but also for caregivers, children, relatives, and everyone trying to remain strong through uncertainty.
After losing my dad in 2019, I carried a strong desire to create something meaningful in his memory.
Cancer Warriors became one of the first ways I began turning that grief into action.
It gave me a way to take the love I still carried for my dad and use it to support someone else.
The Power of Community
One of the most meaningful parts of Cancer Warriors was seeing people come together.
Community members donated items.
Businesses contributed.
People shared the project and helped spread the word.
Others gave their time to organize, pack, and support the event.
Each person brought something different, but all of the contributions worked toward the same goal.
That experience taught me that people want to help.
Sometimes, they simply need a clear and practical way to do it.
A comfort basket gave people that opportunity.
It allowed someone to donate one item and know it would become part of something larger.
It allowed a business to contribute in a meaningful local way.
It allowed families affected by cancer to feel the support of an entire community.
Continuing Through Challenging Seasons
The early years of the project were not without challenges.
The first event happened during a time when communities were still dealing with the effects of COVID-19.
Fundraising, gathering, planning, and delivering support all required flexibility.
Even with those challenges, the project moved forward.
A second event followed in 2022, and the mission continued to gain attention.
The response showed that there was a real need for this type of support.
It also showed that the project had the potential to become something more permanent.
When Life Required a Pause
There were seasons when the project had to slow down.
Our family continued to grow, and life became busy with pregnancies, babies, parenting, business, and everyday responsibilities.
There was a partial restart in 2023, but the project did not yet have the full structure needed to become a lasting organization.
For a while, Cancer Warriors remained an idea I continued to carry.
It was never forgotten.
Even during the quieter years, I kept thinking about how it could return.
I knew I wanted to rebuild it with a stronger foundation, a clear purpose, and room to grow.
Realizing the Mission Had Grown
Over time, I realized that the vision had become larger than the original Cancer Warriors project.
The work was no longer only about one event or one group of cancer patients.
I wanted to support adults, children, caregivers, grieving families, and healthcare teams.
I wanted to build partnerships with hospitals, cancer centres, cancer lodges, businesses, schools, and community groups.
I wanted to create something that could serve Southeast Saskatchewan while eventually reaching more communities across the province.
I wanted the work to continue year after year.
Most importantly, I wanted the mission to carry my dad’s name.
That was when the idea of becoming a formal foundation began to take shape.
Why the Name Changed
The name Cancer Warriors represented strength, courage, and the early heart of the project.
It will always be an important part of our history.
But as the vision grew, we needed a name that reflected the full mission and the legacy behind it.
The Glen Adnam Cancer Comfort Basket Foundation honours my dad while clearly explaining the work we are building.
His name keeps the purpose personal.
The words “Cancer Comfort Basket” reflect the practical support at the centre of the organization.
The word “Foundation” represents our commitment to building something structured, responsible, and long-lasting.
This was not a decision to leave the past behind.
It was a decision to carry the original project forward into its next chapter.
What We Are Building Now
The foundation is being developed to support several areas of the cancer journey.
Our plans include:
Adult Cancer Comfort Baskets
Thoughtfully created baskets for adults receiving treatment or coping with a cancer diagnosis.
Pediatric Comfort Baskets
Age-appropriate comfort and activity items for children facing cancer.
Caregiver Support
Baskets and resources that recognize the emotional and practical load carried by caregivers.
Memorial Support
Thoughtful comfort for families grieving the loss of someone to cancer.
Healthcare Team Appreciation
Meaningful recognition for the healthcare professionals who support patients and families every day.
Each part of the mission grew from lessons learned during the Cancer Warriors years.
Building With Intention
Becoming a foundation means creating more than a name.
It means building policies, systems, partnerships, fundraising plans, volunteer roles, and clear processes for how support will be collected and delivered.
It means being accountable to donors, recipients, and the communities we serve.
It means making careful decisions so the organization can grow responsibly.
This work may not always be visible, but it is an important part of creating something that lasts.
The goal is not only to host another event.
The goal is to create a trusted organization that can continue helping people for years to come.
Honouring the Past While Moving Forward
Cancer Warriors will always be part of our story.
It was the beginning.
It showed us what community kindness could accomplish.
It introduced the comfort basket mission.
It helped us understand the impact of simple, thoughtful support.
Without those first events, there may not be a foundation today.
The Glen Adnam Cancer Comfort Basket Foundation is the next step, but it is built on everything that came before it.
The original mission remains at the centre:
to bring comfort, hope, and connection to people affected by cancer.
A New Chapter, Rooted in the Same Heart
The name has changed.
The vision has grown.
The structure is becoming stronger.
But the heart of the work remains the same.
We are still here to remind people that they are seen.
We are still here to support families during difficult days.
We are still here because cancer affects entire communities.
We are still here because one thoughtful act can make someone feel less alone.
Cancer Warriors began the journey.
The Glen Adnam Cancer Comfort Basket Foundation will carry it forward.
This is not the end of the original project.
It is the beginning of everything it was always capable of becoming.
