Stefano’s Stories: Join us at Teddy Bears’ Picnic and help support world-class research

We’re delighted to host the 36th annual Teddy Bears’ Picnic! All of us at the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba are looking forward to seeing you at Assiniboine Park on Sunday, Sept. 7.

This free and beloved family event is so important because it gives kids a chance to learn about what happens in hospital and in research settings. It helps kids feel more comfortable getting the care they need, if or when they need it.

If you can’t make it to picnic, this year, you can support by purchasing Teddy Bears’ Picnic 50-50 tickets – the pot is already over $34,000 and the winner will be drawn at 4 p.m. this Sunday! Don’t miss your chance to support kids in hospital and win big! → Tickets available online here.

This Manitoba tradition also highlights the importance of HSC Children’s Hospital, the health care teams caring for our kids, and the urgent needs for funds that help improve health outcomes for kids who need care.

Thank You! Last year $261,527 was raised at Teddy Bears’ Picnic! Your generosity helps purchase life-saving tools and equipment. Donations also help fund leading-edge research at Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM) so kids continue to get the best data-driven care, medication and treatment.

CHRIM is the research division of the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba.

Your donations help support life-saving pediatric research projects at CHRIM like DREAM (Diabetes Research Envisioned and Accomplished in Manitoba). This kind of research helps kids like Ataleigh.

Her parents Lea and Steven shared Ataleigh’s story with us and I thank them sincerely for doing so. Here it is:

Ataleigh was only three years old when her mom Lea noticed her daughter’s odd symptoms. She lost weight very fast, urinated frequently, drank a lot of water and complained of headaches and dizziness.

Very quickly, Ataleigh’s health took a turn for the worse.

She was rushed to HSC Children’s Emergency and within minutes of settling into a room doctors diagnosed Ataleigh with type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease that makes it difficult for the body to make insulin.

“You never think something will happen to your child until it does,” says Lea.

“And when you need HSC Children’s, they are there for you. Without the Children’s Hospital, Ataleigh wouldn’t be here today. It means everything to us, especially because we were treated so well during such a difficult time.”

Lea and Steven are very grateful to the nurses, doctors, and health care staff at HSC Children’s for giving Ataleigh the best and most compassionate care. They are especially thankful to the resident doctor who shared Ataleigh’s diagnosis.

It will be so wonderful to see you and your families at Teddy Bears’ Picnic this year. When you’re there, visit the I Want to be a Scientist tent put on by CHRIM researchers and budding scientists who will guide kids through fun experiments.

Let me share something else with you.

More than 300 world-class pediatric medical researchers, technical staff, students, and support staff at CHRIM are involved in over $22 million of research studies and clinical trial activity each year.

This work is made possible because of donors like you. In addition to diabetes research, researchers unlock the mysteries of childhood diseases and find medical breakthroughs and cures for other childhood illnesses like pediatric cancer, asthma, allergies, neurodevelopment, mental health and more.

Please support the life-saving research this world-class institute does. You can do so at the Teddy Bears’ Picnic, or at goodbear.ca. We know the Children’s Hospital is there to support us now and in the future,” says Lea.

It will be so wonderful to see you and your families at Teddy Bears’ Picnic this year. When you’re there, visit the I Want to be a Scientist tent put on by CHRIM researchers and budding scientists who will guide kids through fun experiments.

Let me share something else with you.

More than 300 world-class pediatric medical researchers, technical staff, students, and support staff at CHRIM are involved in over $22 million of research studies and clinical trial activity each year.

This work is made possible because of donors like you. In addition to diabetes research, researchers unlock the mysteries of childhood diseases and find medical breakthroughs and cures for other childhood illnesses like pediatric cancer, asthma, allergies, neurodevelopment, mental health and more.

Please support the life-saving research this world-class institute does. You can do so at the Teddy Bears’ Picnic, or at goodbear.ca.