Torontonians Hit the Pavement in Support of Youth Mental Health

The RBC Race for the Kids experienced record breaking attendance as Torontonians ran, walked and cheered in the fifth annual event. (CNW Group/Sunnybrook Foundation)

5^th Annual RBC Race for the Kids raises millions to support local youth and families 

TORONTO, Sept. 16, 2017 /CNW/ - Today, over 9,000 Torontonians stepped forward in support of youth mental health; they ran, walked and cheered in the 2017 RBC Race for the Kids. Together they raised over $2.5 million in support of the Family Navigation Project at Sunnybrook, a unique program focused on connecting young people struggling with mental health and addiction with the services they need.

Quick Facts:

• RBC Race for the Kids Toronto has attracted more than, 37,000 participants to date and raised over $9.8 million to support the Family Navigation Project (FNP) at Sunnybrook
• In 2014, the FNP was founded by Dr. Anthony Levitt together with parents who were finding it difficult to navigate the complex mental health care system
• FNP focuses on partnering youth (ages 13 to 26) and families with clinically trained professionals who conduct thorough assessments, analyze needs and provide expert navigation of the health care and social service system
• Every month, FNP receives approximately 40 calls/referrals
• To date, over 1,800 families have been helped

Quotes:

• "We would never have made it without the Family Navigation Project," said a mother, who, desperate to find help for her daughter, turned to FNP. "We ended up with the best possible scenario – my daughter now has a future."
  
  
• "The RBC Race for the Kids plays an essential role in not only raising funds to keep FNP's phone lines open, but in building awareness about youth mental health," said Dr. Anthony Levitt, medical director of the Family Navigation Project and chief of the Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program at Sunnybrook. "It's amazing what we can accomplish when we work together. I applaud the generosity, commitment and enthusiasm of RBC, as well as each and every one who walked and ran for the kids – our kids."
  
  
• "Helping youth and families thrive is at the root of what we do at RBC and we're proud to stand together with Sunnybrook and support the vital work of the Family Navigation Project," said Patti Shugart, Managing Director and Head, Corporate Banking & Global Credit, RBC Capital Markets and Executive Champion, RBC Race for the Kids, Toronto. "A sincere thank you to the thousands of RBC employees, friends and family who participated in today's race – together we're helping Ontario youth find the right care at the right time."

About Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is inventing the future of health care for the 1.2 million patients the hospital cares for each year through the dedication of its more than 13,000 staff, students and volunteers. An internationally recognized leader in research and education and a full affiliation with the University of Toronto distinguishes Sunnybrook as one of Canada's premier academic health sciences centres. Sunnybrook specializes in caring for high-risk pregnancies, critically-ill newborns and adults, offering specialized rehabilitation and treating and preventing cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurological and psychiatric disorders, orthopaedic and arthritic conditions and traumatic injuries. The Hospital also has a unique and national leading program for the care of Canada's war veterans. For more information about how Sunnybrook is inventing the future of health care please visit us online at www.sunnybrook.ca.

About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is Canada's largest bank, and one of the largest banks in the world, based on market capitalization. We are one of North America's leading diversified financial services companies, and provide personal and commercial banking, wealth management, insurance, investor services and capital markets products and services on a global basis. We have approximately 81,000 full- and part-time employees who serve more than 16 million personal, business, public sector and institutional clients through offices in Canada, the U.S. and 35 other countries. For more information, please visit rbc.com.‎

RBC helps communities prosper, supporting a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. For more information please see: http://www.rbc.com/community-sustainability/.

SOURCE Sunnybrook Foundation

or to confirm attendance/interviews, please contact: Nadia Radovini, Communications Advisor, Sunnybrook, 416-480-4040 (647-204-3254 on event day), [email protected]; Michelle Yao, Senior Manager, Brand Communications, RBC, [phone], [email protected]

Related Links

www.sunnybrook.ca/foundation