Calgary daycares are experiencing an outbreak of E. coli, leaving many families feeling vulnerable. Alberta Health Services has reported 310 lab-confirmed cases, with 21 children still in hospital and 14 patients discharged. This news has left parent Cathy Wang feeling helpless. Wang and her family will be moving to a new home at the end of the month, and they will transfer their son to a different daycare. Had they moved one month earlier, Wang’s son could have potentially been one of the children affected by the outbreak. Wang has spoken to parents at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, and they have shared that mealtime is especially difficult for them.

Motivated by the struggles these families are facing, Wang has launched a GoFundMe campaign to support her future daycare community during this challenging time. The campaign has already raised over $3,300, which will be used for coffee runs, food, snacks, and Uber Eats gift cards for parents who can’t leave their child’s side. Wang emphasizes that the support does not only come from her group of volunteers but from families all over Calgary. Parents have taken to a daycare Facebook group to express their gratitude for the help they have received.

Wang understands the difficulty of leaving their child’s side when they are so young and in need of constant care. Getting a simple cup of coffee or a meal becomes a challenging task for these parents. One of the volunteers assisting Wang is Helen Williamson, who can sympathize with the parents as her own daughter was affected by the outbreak. Williamson’s daughter was fortunately not admitted to the hospital but has undergone testing at the healthcare center. Wanting to alleviate the worries of parents still by their child’s side, she felt compelled to lend a helping hand.

For those willing to contribute, they can visit the Children Suffering from Daycare E. coli Outbreak GoFundMe page.