You Are Not Alone

When Sandra Williams four-year-old daughter was diagnosed with Congenital Heart Failure the family's life was turned upside down. Roberta's mom, Sandra, stayed in Vancouver for months at a time while her Dad stayed behind working, managing the house and the three siblings and also travelling back and forth to Vancouver whenever possible. The costs were astronomical and debilitating to the family placing enormous pressure on everyone. 

After meeting many families in the same position from all over the province, Sandra and the Williams family realized that something had to be done to alleviate the financial burden for families in the Comox Valley who were dealing with the medical crisis of a child. It was crucial to them to ensure that the family unit be able to remain intact to give every opportunity for the child to be cared for and heal with their family at their side. They committed to finding a solution for the Comox Valley.

You Are Not Alone (Y.A.N.A.) was founded in 1986.  Their mandate is simple; when a child aged 0-19 living within School District 71 needs to leave the Comox Valley to receive medical treatment that is unavailable locally, Y.A.N.A. helps. Y.A.N.A. offers assistance with accommodations and provides funding to help cover expenses while families are away from home.

Since Y.A.N.A.'s humble inception in founder Sandra William's home, Y.A.N.A. has assisted over 1000 families, one family at a time.

Please join us in this ride for Comox Valley’s families.