Self-isolating bears help hospital during COVID-19

#ChildrensHospitalsWeekCanada April 6-10, 2020

(April 6, 2020) – As people across the country join in on placing Teddy Bears in windows, Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba (CHFM) asks all Manitobans to add Dr. Goodbear into the mix in support of HSC Winnipeg Children’s Hospital frontline health care teams and child health researchers who #ContinueCaringforKids during COVID-19.

“We recently had to cancel the annual Teddy Bears’ picnic and understand that thousands of teddy bears and stuffed animals are now having to self-isolate right alongside their kids who are home,” says Stefano Grande, President and CEO of Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba. “But those teddy bears’ placed in windows can still participate greatly in showing support for our frontline staff, as well as fundraising for the sick kids being cared for.”

The Foundation asks everyone to find their Dr. Goodbear stuffies and place them in the window to be seen by families out for walks or car rides.

“We know there are many thousands of Dr. Goodbear stuffies in the community that span decades. We encourage you to find them and place them in your windows now, and show support by taking photos of your window with a stuffy and posting it to social media with #ContinueCaringforKids #IamCHFM,” says Grande.

Families are also encouraged to help their kids become community champions and start a fundraising page at goodbear.ca/greatbearhunt to collect donations from grandparents, care providers and friends for every bear they take a photo of when out on the teddy bear hunt. Kids can have fun challenging each other to find out who sights the most bears while learning about philanthropy and helping kids in our local Children’s Hospital.

Sheilah Restall in Winnipeg has already started her fundraiser page. “I was planning the Great Winnipeg Bear Hunt when I learned that The Teddy Bears’ Picnic, a fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital which I often attended, was cancelled for this year. I decided to take the opportunity to try to help the Children’s Hospital Foundation through my initiative. I easily created my own fundraiser page on their website and promoted my idea on social media,” says Restall. “ It is my hope that by doing this, we as a community will be able to help reduce the impact COVID-19 is having on this wonderful organization.”

This all begins as the fourth annual #ChildrensHospitalsWeekCanada, ( April 6-10) gets underway. The awareness week recognizes the importance of children’s hospitals and how donations help kids get the best care when they need it. As HSC Winnipeg Children’s Hospital is a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital,  theFoundation is participating in #ChildrensHospitalsWeekCanada and hopes everyone will help bring awareness by also participating in the bandage selfie:

• Grab a regular bandage and write a child’s name or a hospital ward or program on it.
• Stick it to your hand or face and snap a selfie! *Be sure to use proper hand washing before touching your face!
• Post your selfie with these hashtags #ChildrensHospitalWeekCanada #CHFManitoba #IamCHFM #ContinueCaringforKids
• Ask your friends and family to join in and post their bandage photo!

“Let’s be posting bears and bandages all week long,” says Grande, “and if you have the ability please donate at Goodbear.ca. It’s especially important at a time like this that we are continuing to do the very best for kids needing health care.”

HSC Winnipeg – Children’s Hospital treats 130,000 kids annually and continues to need financial support, especially during COVID-19. To donate to the area of greatest need visit, goodbear.ca/donate.

About Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba

The Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba is dedicated to ensuring that every child treated at the Children’s Hospital receives the best medical care possible.

Since 1971, with incredible donor support, the Foundation has raised more than $100 million to improve the lives of sick and injured children from Manitoba, Northwestern Ontario, and Nunavut. Funding supports important programs that bring comfort to sick children during difficult times, the purchase of life-saving equipment, and the advancement of pediatric health research that will improve the lives of children everywhere. Learn more about the impact you make at goodbear.ca.

About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada. Donations stay local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $7 billion, most of it $1 at a time through the charity’s Miracle Balloon icon. Its various fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit’s mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Find out why children’s hospitals need community support, identify your member hospital and learn how you can support at childrensmiraclenetwork.ca.