Sesquicentennial celebratory activities honour the hospital’s legacy of excellence and leadership in paediatric care, research and education
Today, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) proudly marks its 150th birthday, celebrating a century and a half of impact and excellence in clinical care, research and education. Since admitting its first patient, three-year-old Maggie with a badly scalded arm, on April 3, 1875, SickKids has established itself as a global leader in child health and research, delivering on our vision – Healthier Children. A better world.To kick off the sesquicentennial celebrations, SickKids hosted a birthday celebration on April 3 for staff, patients, families, donors, volunteers, leadership, and dignitaries, to commemorate this momentous occasion and reflect on SickKids’ past, present and future.
Above image: Descendants of The Hospital for Sick Children Founder Elizabeth McMaster & SickKids CEO Dr. Ronald Cohn unveil first of 150 balloon sculptures “Elizabeth McMaster opens SickKids, Canada’s first children’s hospital”
“The legacy of SickKids is defined by our unwavering commitment to improving child health,” said Dr. Ronald Cohn, President and CEO, SickKids. “For 150 years, we have pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in paediatric medicine, transforming care for children in Ontario, across Canada, and around the world. As we celebrate this milestone, we recognize the generations of clinicians, researchers, and supporters who have shaped SickKids into the world-renowned institution it is today.”
Since admitting its first patient, three-year-old Maggie with a badly scalded arm, on April 3, 1875, SickKids has established itself as a global leader in child health and research
SickKids was founded by Elizabeth McMaster and a group of forward-thinking women determined to provide the citizens of Toronto with a hospital ‘for the admission and treatment of all sick children’, regardless of ability to pay , and cared for 44 patients in its first year. Today, SickKids cares for more than 130,000 patients each year and performs more surgeries than any other paediatric hospital in the country – approximately 12,000 surgeries annually, including over half of all paediatric organ transplants in Canada. SickKids also continues to make an impact across the world. Through strategic global partnerships and programming, SickKids supports leading-edge clinical care and training around the world. SickKids International undertakes advisory and educational projects for international clients, while SickKids Centre for Global Child Health serves as a hub for child health-focused activities in more than 15 under-resourced countries.
With a diverse research community of over 3,400 scientists, staff and trainees, SickKids is Canada’s most research-intensive hospital, uncovering medical breakthrough discoveries such as identifying the gene variant that causes cystic fibrosis, pioneering milk pasteurization, delivering the world’s first gene therapy for SPG50 and so much more.
SickKids’ 150th birthday celebrations will unfold throughout the spring and will shine a spotlight on the people, the moments and the unique journeys that have shaped the history of one very special children’s hospital in Canada. Key moments in the organization’s history will be highlighted through a series of balloon sculptures. The first was unveiled at the hospital today in the presence of Elizabeth McMaster's descendants and all the participants in the birthday celebration, commemorating the opening of SickKids in 1875. Throughout April, 149 other balloon sculptures will be unveiled around Toronto, across Canada, and around the world, each focused on a different moment in SickKids' storied history, from breakthrough medical discoveries to strategic global partnerships and transformative strides in clinical care, showcasing the immeasurable impact of SickKids.
[1] Between 1925 and 1975, almost half of the recorded deaths in Toronto were those of children under 10
"Our 150th birthday is so much more than a reflection of the past—it’s a celebration of the future we are building together,” said Jennifer Bernard, President and CEO, SickKids Foundation. “We invite the community to share their SickKids stories, honour the impact this hospital has had on countless families, and help ensure SickKids continues to deliver world-class care for generations to come."
SickKids 150 birthday celebrations will culminate in a large-scale community birthday party event on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Nathan Phillips Square, where SickKids patients, families, staff, volunteers and donors will come together to commemorate 150 years of impact, innovation, and excellence.
Join the conversation online by sharing your SickKids story and why you’re celebrating SickKids’ 150th birthday, tagging @SickKidsVS with #SickKids150.
