The donation will accelerate research in Chiari malformation and organ transplantation.
WOODBRIDGE, ON , Oct. 6, 2021 /CNW/ - Fastfrate Group, a leader in providing transportation and logistics services, are excited to announce that they have made a $500,000 donation to the Audrey's Place Foundation. This generous contribution has been forwarded to University Health Network (UHN) where it will accelerate research in two areas: Chiari malformation, led by Dr Michael Fehlings, and repairing and engineering superior organs for transplantation, led by Dr. Shaf Keshavjee.
"Giving back to the communities in which we do business is important to Fastfrate Group. Any donation that we can provide to Audrey's Place Foundation directly helps our community, either through funding scholarships for nursing students or valuable research at University Health Network. We are proud that we can provide this support," said Manny Calandrino, CEO of Fastfrate Group.
"Philanthropy is critical to advancing medical research," says Louise Aspin, SVP and Chief Development Officer at UHN Foundation. "The Tepper family are generous supporters of UHN. We are honoured that that their foundation, Audrey's Place Foundation, and Fastfrate Group have now also stepped in to support the work of Drs. Keshavjee and Fehlings."
Chiari malformation affects 1% of children and occurs when the skull develops at a much slower rate than the maturing brain, which can eventually damage the spinal cord. Research led by Dr. Michael Fehlings at UHN's Krembil Brain Institute focuses on better predictive tools and treatment approaches to manage spine and spinal cord disorders, including Chiari malformation.
Dr Shaf Keshavjee serves as Surgeon-in-Chief of the Sprott Department of Surgery at UHN. He is also the director of the world-renowned Toronto Lung Transplant Program at UHN's Ajmera Transplant Centre, which completed the first-ever single and double lung transplants decades prior. It has also developed innovations that allow it to use 40% of the donated lungs it receives compared with 15% elsewhere in the world.
"Audrey's Place has supported UHN for many years, and with this generous donation from Fastfrate Group, we were able to provide critical additional funding for this valuable research into Chiari malformation and organ transplantation," said Audrey Tepper, Founder of Audrey's Place Foundation.
About Audrey's Place
Audrey's Place Foundation is a charitable organization founded in 2010 by the Tepper family of Toronto. The mission of Audrey's Place is to assist in funding post-secondary and graduate education for individuals entering the nursing field. They also focus on supporting Toronto's University Health Network.
About Fastfrate Group
Headquartered in Woodbridge, Ontario, Fastfrate Group has been providing industry-leading transportation services for more than 50 years. From what started out as an LTL over the road and intermodal carrier, Fastfrate has grown into a diverse group comprised of multiple companies operating across Canada. This evolution now offers customers a full suite of asset-based transportation including over-the-road, crossborder, intermodal, LTL and TL, drayage and transload, warehousing, distribution, logistics services and final mile. Please visit fastfrate.com for more information.
About UHN Foundation
Part of University Health Network (UHN), UHN Foundation raises funds for research, education and the enhancement of patient care at Toronto General and Toronto Western hospitals, Toronto Rehab and The Michener Institute of Education at UHN. With donor support, UHN Foundation is helping UHN pursue new knowledge to build a healthier world. UHN Foundation is an amalgamation of Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation and Toronto Rehab Foundation. uhnfoundation.ca
About University Health Network
University Health Network (UHN) consists of Toronto General and Toronto Western hospitals, the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehab, and The Michener Institute of Education at UHN. The scope of research and complexity of cases at UHN has made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care. It has the largest hospital-based research program in Canada, with major research in arthritis, cardiology, transplantation, neurosciences, oncology, surgical innovation, infectious diseases, genomic medicine and rehabilitation medicine. UHN is a research hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto. uhn.ca
SOURCE Fastfrate Group
Media Contact: Anh Thai [email protected]
Share this article