Riley Wilcox is the Executive Director of the Northern B.C. Friends of Children Society. Riley was born in Whitehorse, Yukon and raised in Fernie, but has lived in Prince George for 16 years. She is married to her husband Ted Van Rhijn and they have two children, Ryan (14) and Jessica (10).
She joined the Friends of Children because she wanted the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of northern families. People often struggle with the unique challenges that arise when a child becomes seriously ill or injured and Riley enjoys being able to help them by connecting parents with the support and resources that allow them to overcome those challenges.
The mission of the Northern BC Friends of Children is to assist families living in Northern B.C. unable to meet exceptional medical costs related to the needs of their child. The organization also assists families with non-medical costs that arise due to their child’s condition such as travel and accommodation expenditures. The Friends of Children also works as a coordinator to connect families with other organizations, resources and service clubs that can help them.
The organization’s offices are in suites 220 and 221-1600 3rd Avenue. The toll-free Medical Crisis Line (1-866-564-2217) is also mandated to provide support, resource links, advocacy and other services.
This spring, the Friends of Children will launch their resource database, which will allow people to connect with resources related to their child’s medical concerns 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The list of resources will include organizations, health care facilities in B.C. and Alberta, medical travel options, maps and social agencies.
On May 30 the organization will co-host the ninth annual Golf Classic with the Kiwanis Club of Prince George. June 14 will be their first ever Family Day event at the Railway Museum.
You can get involved with the society by calling 564-2217 or visiting their website at www.friendsofchildren.ca. There are many ways to help out, such as participating on committees or with fundraising events, providing clerical support and helping to coordinate events.
