The Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation Launches the "We can all be Superheroes" Campaign Français
Our goal: to give 100,000 masks to young patients and families visiting the Children's to help protect them from the risks of COVID-19
MONTREAL, June 19, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - The government now recommends the wearing of a mask when visiting clinics or the hospital. To respond to this urgent need and help protect the thousands of sick children and families who visit the Montreal Children's Hospital, the Children's Foundation has launched the "We can all be Superheroes" campaign, thanks to the support of generous founding partners, Bell, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Desjardins Group, The DGDM Family Foundation, The Hon. Yves Fortier, PC,CC,OQ, Murray and Karen Dalfen, National Bank, Pfizer Canada, RBC Foundation, and TFI International, that have each donated a minimum of $25,000 to the We can all be Superheroes campaign. This fundraising campaign aims to give 100,000 free reusable masks to young patients and parents who come to the hospital.
"Despite the difficult economic climate, now is not the time to abandon our children, which our invaluable partners understand. Their contribution has allowed us to launch this campaign to help equip young patients and their families with hospital-approved masks that are suitable for the faces of children and adults. The masks are reusable, washable and made in Quebec. From the bottom of my heart, thank you," says Renée Vézina, president of the Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation. A $10 dollar donation provides one mask. The Foundation is calling upon the generosity of Quebecers to help protect some of the province's sickest kids and reassure families who must frequent the Children's for medical appointments.
"This initiative will help maintain a high standard of infectious disease control throughout the hospital, especially for patients who visit the Children's regularly, and will reduce our use of disposable masks," says Martine Alfonso, associate president and executive director of the McGill University Health Centre. "We believe children and their parents will appreciate having masks tailored to their needs for hospital visits during the COVID- 19 pandemic."
Each year, the Children's, which serves 63% of Quebec's territory, sees 200,000 young patients, including 77,397 who go to the emergency department and 94,561 to ambulatory clinics. Among these thousands of patients are some of the sickest children in the province. Until a COVID-19 vaccine is developed, health experts predict the coronavirus will continue to circulate among the population, presenting a high risk for vulnerable populations.
By offering 100,000 free masks, the hospital will be able to respond to the expected traffic in the coming months and come to the aid of families who are unable to pay for this protection. Thank you donors! Together, let's all be superheroes!
To make a donation or learn more about the We can all be Superheroes campaign, visit masksforthechildrens.com.
For any question or request for an interview with Renée Vézina, president of the Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation or with Dr. Christos Karatzios, specialist in pediatric infectious diseases at the Children's, on the question of wearing a mask, please contact:
Stéphanie Quirion, Kilicom Public Relations
[email protected] | 514-260-0603
About the Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation
The mission of the Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation is to inspire and mobilize the community to support innovation in research, teaching and care at the Montreal Children's Hospital, the pediatric teaching hospital for McGill University's Faculty of Medicine, and pediatric research at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. Since its inception in 1973, the Foundation has raised over $500 million, which has transformed the lives of sick children through innovative research and teaching projects, and cutting-edge care. For more information, please visit:
childrenfoundation.com.
About the Montreal Children's Hospital
The Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH) of the McGill University Health Centre is a tertiary care pediatric teaching hospital affiliated with McGill University. The MCH prides itself on providing patient and family centred care. What makes the Children's unique is the true spirit of the hospital—a wonderful blend of caring, innovation, uncompromising standards, and dedication to public service that has characterized the institution since the beginning. Over the years, the hospital has become known for its wealth of expertise in various fields, particularly cardiology and cardiac surgery, trauma care, neurology and neurosurgery.
thechildren.com
SOURCE The Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation
Sylvie Desjardins, Director of Communications, The Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation, 450 396-6590
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