The devastating earthquake in Haiti and the outpouring of support from the world community, including Canada, demonstrates the vital part that we can each play as volunteers and as donors to support those in need. I have been struck by the incredible stories of generosity - children emptying their piggy banks, corporations organizing relief efforts, aid workers volunteering their time.

It is this same spirit of generosity that is so important to the work we do at SickKids. In the six short months I have been here I’ve witnessed the importance of donations to Canada’s most research-intensive hospital. I’ve seen how SickKids is able to use philanthropic support as a means to understanding and treating childhood diseases. The statistics speak for themselves. Today, three-quarters of the Canadian children stricken with cancer – the second leading cause of death among children aged one to 14 – are cured. That’s a significant increase from five per cent just 40 years ago. Fifty years ago, a child diagnosed with cystic fibrosis might survive to age four. Today, the median age for survival is 35 years old.

Philanthropy is also helping provide our patients and their families with significantly improved facilities for their treatment and care. Last week we re-opened the new Hematology and Oncology Clinic that was made possible from support by the Ontario Government and private donations including a $5-million gift from Sears Canada. Later this month we will re-open the Critical Care Waiting Room, which would not have been made possible without more than $400,000 in donations. The Waiting area has been transformed and will provide families with a more hospitable and comforting environment.

Efforts are also underway to provide our researchers with the physical space and equipment they need to carry out their transformative research. A new $400 million, 750,000 square foot facility will soon rise at the corner of Bay and Elm Streets, housing our 2,000 research staff and the SickKids Learning Institute. The Research Tower is scheduled to be completed in 2013 and will consolidate personnel who are presently scattered at seven different sites across Toronto. Philanthropy will be vital to this project – planning for a $200 million special fundraising campaign is well advanced and we will launch this appeal later this spring. Stay tuned for more exciting announcements about the Research Tower Campaign.

So, as we start the New Year, let me thank all those whose support for SickKids is helping fund life-changing equipment and facilities and enabling SickKids to attract the best doctors, researchers and nurses in the world.

I wish everyone a healthy and happy 2010.

Sincerely,

Ted Garrard

The holiday time is a busy one at SickKids Foundation. While we rely on community support all year long to meet the complex health issues facing our young patients, there is something about this time of year that brings out the spirit of giving in all of us. On behalf of all of the patients and families who benefit from your support, let me thank you for your generosity.

We were also recently disappointed to learn of an illegal coin collection campaign disguised as supporting SickKids Foundation. Donation canisters appearing to represent SickKids Foundation have been placed in food courts and shopping malls throughout the Greater Toronto Area. We are working fully with Toronto Police to investigate the source of this fraudulent activity and to make sure it is stopped.

This is particularly disheartening because there are a number of legitimate partners, families and friends currently raising money on behalf of The Hospital for Sick Children during a time of year when people typically make their charitable giving decisions. We hope that this incident does not discourage the public from supporting SickKids Foundation through all the legitimate donation channels we operate. If you have any questions about our fundraising programs please call us directly at 416-813-1218 or visit us at www.sickkidsfoundation.com.

SickKids has become a world leader because of the support of the community. Every year our donors rise to the challenge of investing in the best science and treatment at this Hospital, generously contributing to our efforts to improve the overall health and well-being of children.

Thank you for believing in SickKids and I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season.

Sincerely,

Ted Garrard

Ted Garrard joined SickKids Foundation in July 2009 as President and CEO. He has an outstanding reputation as one of the top fundraising executives in Canada. He has a long track record of success and deep roots in accountability and transparency. Here’s his letter to the community:  

Dear Friends,

I joined SickKids Foundation because I believe passionately in the work it does to improve the health of children. I also wanted the opportunity to join an organization with a reputation for outstanding Board and staff leadership. In my first 10 weeks as CEO I have been deeply impressed by the dedication and commitment of our volunteers, staff and donors. They believe, as I do, that SickKids makes a difference here in Toronto and around the world.

I also joined the Foundation because it has an excellent track record of raising funds and managing its endowments. I look forward to building on that success. I want the Foundation to be recognized as one of the top fundraising organizations in the world, both in terms of how much we raise and how we undertake our work.

Having worked in the charitable sector for more than 25 years, I appreciate the importance of transparency and accountability to our donors and other partners. I want SickKids to be a model that donors and other charities point to. I want our fundraising programs to be best-in-class and known for their innovativeness. I want us to find ways to better engage donors in the work of SickKids and to demonstrate the impact and outcome of their philanthropy.

This is an exciting time to be at the Foundation. Later this fall we will start a strategic planning process to ensure the work of the Foundation is aligned with the future priorities of the Hospital. We will be preparing for a new fundraising campaign to be launched in spring 2010 in support of a new $400 million Research Tower for SickKids. This new facility will house the 2,000 personnel working in the SickKids Research Institute providing them the infrastructure they need to carry out their world-class research. And we will be launching a number of new and exciting fundraising programs and events. I can’t wait to get started!

Each day I make a point of walking through Main Street in the Hospital. I view the faces of children and their parents – faces filled with hope and some with anxiety. It reminds me of the life-altering work that SickKids does. And it makes me proud to be a part of it.

Thank you for your continued support.

Ted Garrard
President & CEO, SickKids Foundation