Shane Bernier is currently living at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa and wants to set a world record for birthday cards for his eighth birthday, May 30.

When Kathy Ruddy, life enrichment director of Temiskaming Lodge in Haileybury, learned of the boy’s wish she wondered if residents at the long-term care home would be interested in becoming involved.

“I heard it on the radio locally and brought it to the residents,” says Ruddy.

“The residents are really happy to do it. They’re always eager to help.” Ruddy says the residents at the 80-bed Jarlette-owned long-term care home hail from small communities and have volunteer spirit. “They still have hearts of gold,” she says. “Just because they’re in a facility doesn’t mean they have to stop doing that.”

The home set up a collection box for the cards, some of which residents and staff have purchased, others of which have been crafted by residents themselves. Ruddy says there are about 200 collected so far. “We want to help him go where he wants to go,” says Ruddy. “The more original (the cards are) the better -- from what I understand, he reads each one.”

At another chain of long-term care homes, efforts are underway to also send birthday wishes to Bernier.

Residents at Forest Hill in Kanata were excited about becoming involved in the campaign, Carolyn Della Foresta earlier told Axiom News.

“Many of them were telling us they were concerned about the boy and admired his courage. They were all hoping he beats the odds."

Birthday cards have been pouring in to an eastern-Ontario radio station since his story was told, she says. Della Foresta was drawn by the boy's fantastic spirit and spunk, she says. "He may not get the world record (350 million birthday cards received over 10 years) but just seeing how excited he gets each day when he receives the cards makes it meaningful."

Della Foresta planned a card-writing campaign at Forest Hill and e-mailed other life enrichment co-ordinators at OMNI’s other homes, passing on Shane's story, hoping they too, might join in the effort. In response, about 4,000 cards have been collected by staff, residents and other community members.

Ruddy says the card-writing campaign gives residents something meaningful in which to get involved, particularly when winter months can drag on, noting its keeps their spirits high when they are helping others.