Every year, children from all over the world come to SickKids to receive life-saving care. The experience can be daunting for many of these families. Some have never left their countries before while others have never been on a plane. The climate in Canada is different, some don’t know how to speak English and they have no family or friends to support them.

That’s where the Herbie Fund comes in.

Established in 1979, the Herbie Fund helps children from around the world receive life-altering and life-saving surgeries at SickKids that would otherwise not be available to them in their home countries. The Fund also finds them a place to stay during their visit. Since its inception, the Herbie Fund has brought in 656 children from 101 countries to SickKids.

This Friday, May 27, is Herbie Day. Tune into Citytv from 7 – 9 a.m. and again during the six o’clock news to hear the incredible stories of Herbie patients and the SickKids staff who cared for them as they are interviewed by Gord Martineau. The day will be filled with a delicious lunch BBQ and live entertainment on the front lawn and a Kids Fun Zone inside the hospital. The Kids Fun Zone runs from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. and the BBQ from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. The day is about fun, but also about fundraising as we raise awareness for the Herbie Fund.

One of the stories you will hear is about Mary-Joanne and Mary-Janice, twin girls from the Philippines who both had a cardiac condition called Wolfe-Parkinson-White Syndrome. They were treated at SickKids by cardiologist Dr. Robert Hamilton. After successfully completing their treatments, they were back home in the Philippines approximately one month after their arrival in Toronto.

We have many more stories to share. Visit the Citytv website for more stories on the international patients at SickKids and don’t forget to tune in this Friday and support the Herbie Fund.