According to Japanese folklore, anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a life of peace and longevity.

For the students of Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School, St. Jane Francis School and St. Raphael’s Catholic Elementary, who presented thousands of paper cranes to SickKids brain tumour survivors and patients Tuesday, it is a symbolic gesture of hope.

The ceremony marked the official countdown to Meagan’s Walk, a fundraiser held every year in memory of Meagan Bebenek who lost her battle to brain stem glioma in 2001. The event has since raised more than $2 million in support of paediatric brain tumour research at SickKids. These funds play an important role in supporting the position of SickKids as a world-leader in children’s health research, so that we can continue to attract and retain the brightest scientific minds in hope that they will one day find a cure for brain cancer.

It is a hope that gets brighter every year, not only for patients at SickKids but the thousands of other children across Canada and around the world who are fighting the disease.

This year’s Walk will be held on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8, 2011. From Ontario Place, hundreds of participants will make their way through downtown Toronto and towards The Hospital for Sick Children on University Avenue. Once there, they will form a human chain around the Hospital – known as the Circle of Hope – in a symbolic “hug” to show their love and hope for all the patients, families and staff within the building.

For more information about the Walk or if you’re interested in making a donation, please visit the Meagan’s Walk website.