Devori Kadosh, a Chai Lifeline Canada case manager, has always had a passion for helping people, though she hasn’t always worked in a related field. When the opportunity to be a part of Chai Lifeline Montreal’s team came up, she decided to go for it since she had the desire and ability to help; she considers getting the job one of her luckiest moments. Only one year into her role and Devori has loved every minute of it, because according to her, “there’s something very unique and very special about it. The ability to give hope to the families is something that no video or written word can do justice to.”

When asked to describe a typical day in the life of a case manager, Devori shares that no single day has looked the same because no single client has the same needs. One day on the job can mean doing anything from hospital visits, home visits, answering emails or doing computer work. Every day is different when you’re working with clients who have different needs; you have to be able to adapt accordingly. Devori considers that to be a strength of Chai Lifeline Canada—doing extraordinary things for clients without giving it a second thought because that is what the client needs. But as it is said, there is strength in numbers, and Chai Lifeline Canada’s extraordinary actions for clients are able to get done because there is a strong team working together to make things happen. Collaborating with the Toronto team, case managers toss around ideas and help each other with just about everything. With case managers working together, exchanging scenarios, advice, and personal experiences, clients can truly feel supported and cared for.

Working at Chai Lifeline Canada has taught Devori the strength of the human spirit and how resilient people are, even in their toughest moments. When the Chai case managers start working with a family, especially a family with a new diagnosis, they can see that the family members start to feel hopeful as they feel supported, which really helps to see them through on their tough journey. A family knows that no matter who they are, where they come from, or what their situation is, Chai Lifeline Canada is there for them. Devori shared that she goes out for coffee once a week with a client who has a sick child. After a while, the client let her know that she’s not going because of the coffee or food; rather, she’s attending these weekly coffee chats because the time she spends with Devori is meaningful to her and provides her with a routine and stability. This really touched Devori, leaving her with the feeling that she is actually making a difference in somebody’s life, and giving her a tremendous desire to continue such arrangements. Devori reiterates that at Chai Lifeline Canada, “we give hope, we give love, and we are completely accepting of everybody, no matter what their situation is.”

Devori acknowledges that volunteers are one of the strongest resources at Chai Lifeline Canada, and they don’t even realize it. They do so much that case managers can’t do, such as cooking meals for families, running errands, and spending time with the children and siblings of clients. According to Devori, without the volunteers, her job would not be nearly as fulfilling to her. So, if someone was considering getting involved with Chai Lifeline, Devori would tell them that the biggest incentive is that it changes you as a person. “You grow from watching the most incredible people that you would have never had the chance to meet and see how they rise above challenge.” And it also just feels good to help people…because help and hope work together.