Stefano’s Stories: gratitude from A – Z

January 2022

Alpha, beta, delta and now omicron. I don’t know about you, but I’d like to return to some happier ABCs!

Here’s an alphabet of your impact and our gratitude to celebrate 2021:

All kids in Manitoba deserve the very best hospital experience possible. Thanks to incredible support from people like you, the teams at HSC Winnipeg Children’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM) continue to have the equipment, tools and programs they need to ensure kids get the best care, right here at home.

Research teams across CHRIM continued to make global impact on topics as diverse as allergies, breast-milk, COVID-19, diabetes, emergency care, fetal health, genetics (see what we did there?) and more. To learn about these world-renowned teams working to understand disease and develop new treatments, visit chrim.ca. 

We are grateful for each staff member and volunteer who works tirelessly, every day – particularly in these ongoing challenging times – to care for all our kids in the hospital. Thank you!

“Fund the need” auctions at our annual golf tournament and GALAvant virtual gala helped purchase much-needed child-specific surgical tools. Tools that help kids like 2020-2021 Champion Child Brady get back to playing hockey, and Janessa (and her new kidney, Bob) get back to her home community and the outdoors she loves.

In March 2021, the new Children’s Heart Centre opened, thanks to the leadership of Barb and Gerry Price and dozens of remarkable, community-minded supporters like you. What began as a $3.5 million campaign grew to an astounding $17.7 million, which not only built the new heart centre, but also new pediatric catheterization and fluoroscopy labs and specialized equipment, and will now extend remote monitoring capacity across the entire hospital, improving the experience for kids like Max.

In June, we unveiled plans for the new Indigenous Community Healing Space, which will provide families with a safe space for healing while they’re away from their home community and cultural supports. Led by Dr. Melanie Morris, Canada’s first Indigenous pediatric surgeon, the space is being developed in consultation with a group of Grandmothers, families and kids and will feature space for traditional ceremonies including smudging; place for Elders, healers and Knowledge Keepers to support families in care; library space for Indigenous children’s books; and a comfortable breastfeeding corner for mothers. More than 50% of the kids who use HSC Children’s are Indigenous.

Jack, Keira, Liam and Morgan are just a few of the kids who shared their stories this year. We are incredibly grateful for families who reach out to other families who are experiencing the hospital to say, we understand and we support you. Read their stories here.

We have been quietly working on a transformative campaign that you will hear more about in the coming months…

The Foundation is committed to reconciliACTION, which includes the creation of an Indigenous Advisory Circle, a group of First Nations, Métis and Inuit leaders and Elders who provide wisdom and counsel as we support culturally safe programming, resources, and spaces in the hospital. Members of the Indigenous community have also joined the board of directors and committees to provide leadership across the organization.

Our friends at Sobeys launched their Family of Support initiative for mental health last year. Thanks to staff, customers and Sobeys Foundation, the Telemental Health program is up and running and has meant kids in rural and remote communities can get the urgent help and support they need, close to home.

Valued, wonderful, eXtraordinary. We are grateful for YOU.

In June, Zoë Richardson became the Foundation’s new chair. Under Zoë’s leadership, we will continue to work with our community in support of your children’s hospital.

We look forward to a successful 2022. We know that with your continued commitment and support, our kids will continue to have the best care. Let’s make anything possible.