The Optimists not only met their goal, but surpassed it, raising an amazing $81,648.94. In addition to raising more than their goal, with cost decreases of laptops, 70 rather than the planned 60 children and families will benefit from the communication and fun that technology provides.   

This incredible gift has allowed Children’s Health Foundation to commit to purchasing laptops for children, between the ages of 10 – 18 years old, who have extended lengths of stay at Children’s Hospital.

Having a laptop helps children and their families communicate with family and friends while they are isolated and in the hospital which is often hours away from their homes and communities.

• Families save a great deal of money while using tools like Skype, MSN and Facebook instead of making long distance calls.
• Many families benefit from the websites, like Caring Bridge. Families can post an update on their child’s progress on the website and their online community will automatically receive updates as they progress through their treatment.  
• Communicating online often keeps family members from constantly re-telling their child’s situation, which can be emotionally exhausting.
• Connecting through webcams has helped energize children who can see their family members at home, giving them a feeling of being at home with siblings and pets.
• Families are able to maintain a sense of normalcy by being able to keep track of every-day tasks like paying bills and reading the news.

“The Optimists are amazing, good people, who would take time out of their busy lives to make a difference for a child going through a difficult time.”
– Mother of Jordan, Severe Aplastic Anemia

“Our appreciation is difficult to put into words. It definitely helped our stay at the hospital which has been a lengthy one (seven months).”
– Mother of Cole, Acute Myeloid Leukemia

For the second year in a row, the “Together We Can” Employee Giving Campaign encouraged a collaborative approach and experienced fantastic results, raising an incredible $178,434 for Children’s Health Foundation, London Health Sciences Foundation and the United Way of London & Middlesex!

Thank you LHSC staff for making a difference in our community!

Through donation boxes at LCBO checkout counters and employees inviting customers to add a $2 donation to their purchase, an incredible $81,676 was raised for Children’s Hospital!

Over the past 13 years, the generous contributions of the LCBO have now reached more than $144,000 in support of Children’s Hospital!

Funds collected in this important campaign support specialized health care programs like Child Life and the Therapeutic Clown Program, purchase life saving medical equipment, provide education and fund leading-edge research in child health.

Thank you so much to the LCBO, its employees and especially its customers for this amazing contribution. You are helping to Raise Hope™ for sick children throughout Southwestern Ontario, by making good health care even better.

Click here to view the video on the LCBO donation

In late 2009, Fisher Scientific generously donated an incredible $20,000 to the newly established Translational Research Centre (TRC) at CHRI, becoming the very first donor to this exciting initiative.

The donated funds will help to purchase essential laboratory equipment (specifically the Forma 8600 series freezer) needed for the TRC to continue to grow their capacity, and ultimately, to help the scientists and doctors at CHRI make a difference in the future of children’s healthcare.

Dr. Doug Fraser, Director of the CHRI Translational Research Centre, scientist at CHRI, and critical care physician at Children’s Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre, is very grateful for the support of Fisher Scientific. “The CHRI Translational Research Centre is the first paediatric centre of its kind in Canada and will provide critically needed standardized acquisition and access to high quality tissue specimens, while allowing scientists to better incorporate the clinical experience into a laboratory environment. With the support of generous donors like Fisher Scientific, the CHRI Translational Research Centre will be bringing medical discoveries and cures to the world much sooner.”
 
The TRC was established in the Spring of 2008 with funding support from Children’s Health Foundation.

For additional information about the TRC please contact Laura Maniago, Philanthropy Associate, at lmaniago@childhealth.ca or by phone at 519.432.8564.

On December 17th, London lawyer Barbara Legate announced a $100,000 gift to Children’s Health Foundation to help build the New Children’s Hospital. As a member of the community, Ms. Legate knows how important Children’s Hospital is to London and to the region of Southwestern Ontario. Describing the hospital as a “warm security blanket that is thrown over our children to help keep them safe”, she is grateful for the care, effort and energy that the Hospital and the staff provide.

Ms. Legate’s gift was inspired by the care her client, Caleigh Turnbull, received after being seriously injured in a motor vehicle/pedestrian collision, as well as by her long time friend Dr. Leslie Scott, a paediatric surgeon at Children’s Hospital. Ms. Legate’s generosity will be recognized by a naming opportunity within the Healing Garden, to be located in the lobby of the New Children’s Hospital and Grace Donnelly Women’s Health Pavilion. The New Children’s Hospital is scheduled to open in 2011.

Who knew a chocolate chip cookie could do so much! From September 21 – 27, 2009, participating Tim Hortons in this area sold an incredible $145,600 in Smile Cookies, supporting the vital health care needs at Children’s Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre.

Your support helps to enhance the standard of care for our children. Funds raised from the Smile Cookie campaign help provide specialized paediatric equipment, programs and services, training and education, community outreach and leading edge research into the causes and cures of childhood diseases and disorders.

To find out more about what your support helps to fund, read a message from our Chair.
 

On Wednesday, September 2nd join stock car racer Peter Vanderwyst for a special visit to Children’s Hospital, London Health Sciences – in his race car adorned with a giant Children’s Health Foundation/Raising Hope™ logo!

Vanderwyst will be racing in this Sunday’s Total APC 300, a part of Delaware Speedway’s Great Canadian Race Weekend, and will be joined for his hospital visit by Speedway representatives (and pace cars!).

WHEN:
11am, Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009

WHERE:
Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre, Victoria Campus
Rose Garden, East side of E Building, Westminster Tower
(Parking reserved at Cardiac Fitness Institute – enter from Commissioners Rd.; proceed straight North through stop sign into metered lot)

FEATURING:
Peter Vanderwyst, Vanderwyst Motorsports; VP and GM ECL Carriers LP
Joe Czernai, GM, Delaware Speedway
Jeff Wilcox, Race Director, Delaware Speedway
Mackenzie Vanderwyst

• Inspired by her father, 12-year-old Mackenzie Vanderwyst had her own idea to help the kids at Children’s Hospital. With her birthday falling just one day before the visit to Children’s, Mackenzie decided that instead of presents she wanted her friends and family to donate to Children’s Hospital.

PHOTO/VIDEO OPP:
Stock car adorned with giant-sized Children’s Health Foundation/Raising Hope logo
Autograph signing with Children’s Hospital patients
Delaware Speedway pace car(s)
Donation presentation by Mackenzie Vanderwyst

Peter Vanderwyst, Vice President and General Manager of London-based trucking company ECL Carriers, spends most of his free time with his kids and family, but his other true love is racing late model stock cars.

Driving for Vanderwyst Motorsports, Vanderwyst knew his 2009 race schedule would bring he and his sponsors significant visibility, but felt there were others in the community that could benefit from such awareness. Residing in nearby St. Thomas and having two children of his own (Mackenzie, 12 and Peter, 8), the decision to support Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre made perfect sense.

Familiar with Children’s Health Foundation, the fundraising organization for Children’s Hospital, and wanting to make the greatest amount of impact, Vanderwyst chose to prominently display the foundation logo and new motto, Raising Hope™, on the hood of his stock car for the 2009 race season.

AutoTrim Designs of London generously donated their time and expertise to affix the logo free of charge.

For more information about Delaware Speedway’s Great Canadian Race Weekend visit www.delawarespeedway.com.

About Children’s Health Foundation
Children’s Health Foundation is a non-profit organization that has been raising money and granting funds to children’s health care and research for over 80 years. As the primary fundraising organization for Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre and the Children’s Health Research Institute, Children’s Health Foundation funding provides health and hope to sick and injured children. Funds raised support specialized health care programs, purchase lifesaving medical equipment, provide education and fund leading-edge research in child health. To learn more, go to www.childhealth.ca.

Contacts:

Cara Carson, Communications Associate
Children’s Health Foundation
office: 519.432.8564
cell: 519.871.5211
ccarson@childhealth.ca