KGH Auxiliary launches 2018 Teddy Bear campaign

Three-year-old Spencer and her mom know just how much it means to have excellent pediatric care close to home. 

Born three months prematurely, Spencer was in the good hands of NICU staff  for the first few months of her life, and her mother Jessica Hutchings will tell you over and over again that the family "would not have made it" without the amazing care and comfort of NICU nurses and physicians.

That's why Spencer and Jessica returned to our KGH site on November 12 to help the KGH Auxiliary, along with its financial partner Royal Canadian Legion Branch 560, to launch the 2018 Show Children You Care Teddy Bear Campaign, which supports the purchase of patient care equipment for the  pediatric program at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC).

The 2018 campaign runs November 12 to December 21 and aims to raise $25,000 through the sponsorship of 250 teddy bears. 

Each can be sponsored for a donation of $100, with proceeds this year helping to purchase basic but vital equipment such as ophthalmoscopes, used to image the back of the eye and critical in diagnosing illnesses such as brain tumors.  Ophthalmoscopes are utilized in virtually every pediatric patient visit.

Once again, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 560 is supporting the campaign by covering the cost of the bears, ensuring that all donated funds go directly towards the fundraising goal. 

And at the event launch, various branches of the Royal Canadian Legion stepped up with surprise donations totalling almost $3000.

“We’re delighted to benefit from the generosity of the KGH Auxiliary and Royal Canadian Legion Branch 560,” says Stacey Wolfrom, KHSC Program Operational Director for the Women & Children’s Program.  “Their partnership with us helps us to deliver the best care possible for our young patients.”

The campaign also makes a hospital visit more comfortable for children, says Heather Breck, Chair of the Teddy Bear Campaign, explaining how the sponsored bears are distributed to pediatric departments across KHSC.

“Your donation helps children to receive a fuzzy friend when they need one most,” she says.

Every sponsored bear receives a tag acknowledging its donor(s) and takes its place on the bough of the festive trees in the historic Watkins Lobby at KGH. Sponsors receive a charitable receipt upon request and a companion bear as a keepsake, which can be donated back to hospitalized children.

“At KHSC, we’re committed to ensuring our young patients and their families receive quality and family-centred care during their hospital stay,” says Dr. Bob Connelly, Head of Pediatrics at KHSC and Queen’s University. “With generous support from the community, we’re able to achieve this goal.”

If you would like to sponsor a bear, please contact the KGH Auxiliary at 613-549-6666 ext. 6352.