RESEARCH & LEARNING TOWER CAMPAIGN WINS STRONG, EARLY SUPPORT FROM TORONTO

TORONTO, Sept. 28 /CNW/ - In just four short months, SickKids Foundation has raised more than $30 million in commitments in support of the world-class SickKids Research & Learning Tower under construction in Toronto's Discovery District.

EllisDon Corporation broke ground on the 21-storey, 750,000 square foot Tower on May 4, 2010. An aggressive fundraising campaign, led by TD Canada Trust President and CEO Tim Hockey as volunteer Campaign Cabinet Chair, has raised 15 per cent of the $200 million goal for the Tower in the last four months.

"The people of Toronto know and understand the importance of having a world-leading children's hospital in our city," says Tim Hockey. "Clearly, many of the leaders in our community understand the need for the Tower and have responded with their generosity. We still have significant funds to raise before the Tower is completed in spring 2013, however we're delighted with our early progress."

Some of the significant gifts received to date include:

An anonymous gift of $10 million from a Toronto-based donor.

The Francis Family Foundation has donated $3 million. John Francis is the Chair-elect of the SickKids Foundation Board of Directors effective June 2011. This is the largest gift the family has made and signifies their belief in the important research being conducted at SickKids.

Tim and Lana Hockey have donated $1.5 million. Mr. and Mrs. Hockey lost their daughter shortly after her second birthday to a fatal genetic disorder so rare that help was available only from the US medical system. The Hockey family's hope for the Research & Learning Tower is simple: that the distance and time between bench to bedside care in Canada will be shortened and that no family will have to endure what they did.

To date, four families have pledged their commitment of $1 million each. These are: John and Melinda Thompson; Sandra and Jim Pitblado; David and Gail O'Brien; and one anonymous donor. The Rally for Kids With Cancer Presented by Rosseau Asset Management has also raised $1 million in support of the Tower.

More than $22 million has been pledged by the Boards of the Hospital and Foundation, and employees of SickKids have pledged $2.5 million.

"This outstanding support from the SickKids family underscores the tremendous conviction our community has for the Research & Learning Tower and the campaign," says Ted Garrard, President and CEO, SickKids Foundation. "We are now turning our attention to the broader community for their support as we look to raise the remaining $170 million for the project."

Scientists at SickKids Research Institute, currently housed in six buildings surrounding the Hospital, have also been hard at work. Scientific discoveries made by SickKids researchers have been published in more than a dozen medical journals over the past four months.

"SickKids has been a world leader in child health research for more than 55 years. In the past four months alone, several significant discoveries have been announced that help us move toward prevention, early detection of disease, and better treatments and cures," says Mary Jo Haddad, President and CEO, SickKids. "Just imagine the potential of reaching more discoveries faster when all of our researchers are collaborating daily under one roof. These fundraising results are an encouraging indication of the possibilities."

Click here for the full list of major gifts received to date.

For more information on the Research & Learning Tower and to see the real-time webcam at the construction site, go to: www.sickkidsfoundation.com/bepartofit

About SickKids Research & Learning Tower
SickKids Research & Learning Tower will bring together researchers from different scientific disciplines and a variety of clinical perspectives, to accelerate discoveries, new knowledge and their application to child health — a different concept from traditional research building designs. The Tower will physically connect SickKids science, discovery and learning activities to its clinical operations. Designed by award-winning architects Diamond + Schmitt Inc. and HDR Inc. with a goal to achieve LEED® Gold Certification for sustainable design, the Tower will create an architectural landmark as the eastern gateway to Toronto's Discovery District. SickKids Research & Learning Tower is funded by a grant from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and community support for the ongoing fundraising campaign.

About SickKids Foundation
Established in 1972, SickKids Foundation is the fundraising organization for The Hospital for Sick Children - one of Canada's most research-intensive hospitals and the largest centre dedicated to improving children's health in the country. Philanthropy is a critical source of funding for The Hospital for Sick Children. For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2010, SickKids Foundation made an investment of $52.5 million in children's health research, education and care. A direct result of community support, this is one of the largest investments in paediatric health care and one of the largest contributions to a hospital anywhere in Canada.

For further information:

Sandra Chiovitti
Media Relations, SickKids Foundation
416.813.8292 / 416.553.4198 (cell)
[email protected]