February – March 2012

A SickKids-led study, published online February 15 in Nature, reexamined how oncologists treat children with medulloblastoma. The therapeutic strategy has been based on the assumption that the main tumour mass is very similar, if not identical, to the spreading cancer cells. SickKids researchers found that if the cancer spreads, the metastases are genetically very similar to each other, but different from the primary tumour. Media coverage included Global Toronto, Global Montreal, CTV News, CBC.ca, Yahoo News, Winnipeg Free Press, Metro Halifax, Hamilton Spectator, Vancouver Sun, Ottawa Citizen, The Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, 680 News, CKNW Vancouver, 660 News Calgary, 95.7 Halifax, CFRA 580 Ottawa, 570 Kitchener, Newstalk 1010, CFAX Victoria 1070.

SickKids brought vacation to its patients this March Break by hosting the 4th Annual Teddy Bear Clinic and the first World Travellers’ event. Patients took their favourite furry friends on a journey through a life-like hospital experience, learning everything from casting to triage and even x-rays. At the World Travellers’ event kids took a trip around the world; making pasta art in Europe, getting henna tattoos in Asia and going coconut bowling on the island of Hawaii! Media coverage included City News and the Toronto Sun.

A major challenge for treating chronic pain is understanding why certain people develop pain while others, with apparently similar disorders or injuries, do not.  A team of researchers led by SickKids and McGill University have identified a major gene affecting chronic pain sensitivity that may address this challenge. The study was published online in Nature Medicine on March 25 and suggests a new approach to individualizing treatment of chronic pain. Media coverage included Global Toronto, 680 News Toronto, 660 News Calgary, 570 News Kitchener, News-Medical.net, Enews Park Forest, American News Report, Futurity.org.

This March was Epilepsy Awareness Month, and to honour it the Toronto Star published two feature articles on epilepsy research and services for children with epilepsy at SickKids. The first focused on two research grants awarded to Dr. Elizabeth Donner from the Ontario Brain Institute. She and her team will be searching for the potential causes of sudden, unexplained deaths of people with epilepsy, and in a separate study will investigate how diet therapy can reduce or eliminate seizures. In time for Epilepsy Awareness Day, also known as Purple Day, the Toronto Star featured the Epilepsy Classroom, a partnership between the Toronto District School Board and the Neurosciences Program at SickKids. The program caters to children with intractable epilepsy, which is characterized by persistent seizure activity despite maximal medical treatment.

Going above and beyond to support her patients’ dreams and aspirations, Christine Chiu-Man, Electrophysiology Technician and Team Leader of the Heart Station at SickKids, was featured on Global National’s Everyday Hero on March 30, 2012.

SickKids received the single largest private donation ever made to a children's hospital in Canada on March 7, 2012. This gift of $40 million donated by philanthropist and business leader Peter Gilgan, Founder and CEO of Mattamy Homes, will support the construction and ongoing operating costs of the SickKids Centre for Research and Learning. Media coverage included CTV News Channel, CBC Radio’s Here and Now, National Post, Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, Globe and Mail, Oakville Beaver, City News, CP 24-Toronto, Newstalk 1010, Reuters, Hamilton Spectator, CTV.ca, Global Toronto, Brandon Sun, The Huffington Post, Digital Journal, Canada Newswire.

Researchers have developed a new tool to facilitate more accurate diagnosis of childhood diseases in Canada. A new database created by the SickKids-led Canadian Laboratory Initiative on Paediatric Reference Intervals (CALIPER) Project aims to replace outdated data and more precisely represent the current Canadian paediatric population, including children from birth to 18 years, both genders, and a variety of ethnicities. The research is reported online in Clinical Chemistry. Media coverage included CTV Toronto.

December 2011 - January 2012

Just in time for the holidays, SickKids launched A History of Healing, a commemorative photo book that captures a photographic record spanning 135 years from the founding of The Hospital for Sick Children until today. A social media news release includes a video of SickKids leaders and staff highlighting how the book juxtaposes SickKids’ rich history with its present success and future ambitions. Media coverage included an online photo gallery on CTV.ca, Toronto Sun and Torontoist.

Researchers at SickKids and Children’s Hospital Boston found patients leave the ER with a poor understanding of how to care for themselves. In the review article, published online in January by Annals of Emergency Medicine, Porter suggests ways to improve communication with patients and families. Media coverage included the Canadian Press, CBC.ca, CTV News Channel, Canadian Healthcare Manager, Newstalk 1010 and 680 News.

In recognition of his contributions to the field of paediatrics in Canada and in developing countries, Dr. Alvin Zipursky will be appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada. The announcement was made Dec. 30. Media coverage included the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, CBC.ca and Medical Post.

The Toronto Star published a feature story on three SickKids families who developed a close friendship as their children waited for heart transplants in 2011. The families reflected on how they supported each other as all three children received new hearts, and remain in close contact months later. The story was published on Christmas Day.

Santa's elves landed on the roof at SickKids on Dec. 14 for the eighth annual Operation Ho Ho Ho. The popular event brought elves from the Armed Forces’ 400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, three Toronto Maple Leafs and Mayor Rob Ford to SickKids to spread some holiday cheer to patients and families. Excited children also received colourfully wrapped gifts from the elves. Media coverage included CTV Toronto, CityTV, Global Toronto (0:16), CBC Toronto, Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, TSN Radio, CTV Barrie, Leafs TV and Toronto Maple Leafs on YouTube.

Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Hall of Fame recently welcomed SickKids President and CEO Mary Jo Haddad. Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards is bestowed on Canada’s highest-achieving female leaders in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Media coverage included the Women of Influence Magazine insert in the Globe and Mail and Financial Post.

Minister of Energy, Hon. Chris Bentley, and Minister of Health & Long-Term Care Government, Hon. Deb Matthews, toured the SickKids asthma clinic Dec. 1 and met with SickKids staff and a patient family. At the subsequent news conference, Bentley made an announcement regarding the closure of coal mines in Ontario. Media attendees included CTV and CityTV.

October - November 2011

SickKids has been honoured with a number of prestigious national awards. The accolades include recognition as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers, Canada's 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures and Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals. SickKids was also awarded the Quality Healthcare Workplace Award – Platinum. Media coverage for the various awards included the Globe and Mail, OHA Today (Top 100), Postmedia News, OHA Today (Corporate Culture), The Tom Closson Blog, CBC.ca and the National Post.

A group of international media toured the Centre for Image-Guided Innovation & Therapeutic Intervention (CIGITI) at SickKids, where they had a sneak peek of the prototype of KidsArm, the world’s first robotic surgical arm specifically designed for paediatric surgery. The visit, which also included virtual reality and MRI demonstrations, was part of a tour coordinated by the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation. Media coverage included Medical Device Daily (U.S.), the Chemical Daily (Japan) and Nikkei Biotechnology (Japan).

SickKids patients rubbed shoulders with hockey heroes during the Toronto Maple Leafs’ November 14 visit to SickKids. The annual event gave children, teens and the entire NHL team the opportunity to chat, take photos and play games in Marnie’s Lounge. Patients returned to their rooms with autographs, Leafs paraphernalia and great memories. Media coverage included CTV Toronto (click on “Leafs visit sick kids”), CityTV and Global Toronto (14:02).

A national SickKids-led study identified a new way to predict MS diagnosis in children. The research, published in the November 7 advance online edition of Lancet Neurology, found MRI scans obtained at the first acute attack can lead to quicker diagnosis and treatment. Media coverage included Global Toronto, AuntMinnie.com and Family Practice News.

More than two decades after his landmark discovery of the cystic fibrosis gene, SickKids’ own Dr. Lap-Chee Tsui will be inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame in the New Year.

“Tipping the scales – Weighing the health impacts of obesity in Canadian kids” was the theme of SickKids’ latest edition of Café Scientifique. The free, interactive panel discussion at Hard Rock Cafe attracted a diverse crowd on November 8. SickKids experts, talked about the prevention, treatment and long-term effects of obesity, as well as society’s role in promoting healthy weights. Media coverage included a live interview with Dr. Jill Hamilton on CBC Radio’s Metro Morning.

SickKids research found unhealthy habits in teens from lower socioeconomic households raise the risk of heart disease. The study was presented October 23 at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in Vancouver. Media coverage included CBC TV’s The National and CBC Radio.

June – September 2011

SickKids study finds that noise levels in the emergency department are perceived as stressful and can interfere with communication and teaching. Media coverage includes a front-page story in the National Post.

A study, published in Science Translational Medicine, finds new genes for attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and links susceptibility to ADHD with autism and other neuropsychiatric conditions. Media coverage includes The Canadian Press, Healthday News, MyHealthNewsDaily.com.

A former SickKids cancer patient, now father of three, goes on another cancer journey, this time with his son Liam. Liam is participating in a clinical trial at SickKids. The father-son story provides insight into how the childhood cancer landscape has evolved over the last two decades. Media coverage includes the Toronto Star and Hamilton Spectator.

SickKids wins gold for innovative business model. Media coverage includes OHA Today newsletter.

New research from Motherisk questions the automatic removal of children who are living in grow ops. The study, published in the July 25 advance online edition of the Journal of Pediatrics, suggests that removing children in a grow-op household or letting them stay is a decision that should be made following detailed assessment on a case-by-case basis. Media coverage includes The Canadian Press, National Post, Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, CBC.ca, and York Region Media Group.

The beginning of September means back to school for kids young and old. SickKids experts help families ease the back-to-school jitters, address bullying, get back into a healthy sleep routine and improve their child’s math skills.

SickKids researchers say that reduced TV time and computer use alone have little impact on childhood obesity. Their study, published in the July 4 advance online edition of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, found that the interventions aimed solely at reducing screen time among children had no overall effect on the reduction of body mass index. They did, however, observe a significant decrease in screen time among preschoolers. Media coverage included Reuters, The Globe and Mail, Toronto Sun, CBC.ca.

SickKids is transformed into the world of Old Hollywood with glitz, glamour and the red carpet at the After Hours Exclusive Teen Event. Media coverage included The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Inside Toronto.

February – May 2011

A group of North American researchers, including a SickKids team, have identified two “modifier” genes in the genomes of cystic fibrosis patients that may be responsible for variation in severity between patients. The study, published in the May 22 advance online edition of Nature Genetics, is the first to show evidence that modifier genes affect lung disease severity in cystic fibrosis. Media coverage included Global National.

‘Toronto protocol’ improves survival rates in children at risk for cancer, according to a SickKids-led study published in the May 20 advance online edition of The Lancet Oncology. Media coverage included CTV Toronto, Toronto Star and Toronto Sun. A video was produced and distributed to media. It was also posted on the SickKids Interactive channel on YouTube, which has received almost 300 views from across Canada, from the US and the UK.

Young fans flocked to the SickKids Atrium on May 3 to check out Justin Bieber’s famous footwear at an interactive Rock Star Party organized by the Child Life Department and the Bata Shoe Museum. Media coverage included CityTV and CTV Toronto.

A May 2, Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) study by the Paediatric Surgical Wait Times Project, a national initiative led by SickKids Surgeon-in-Chief, Dr. James Wright, found that while 27 per cent of Canadian children wait too long for surgery, wait times have been reduced in some areas as a result of the Project. Media coverage included the Canadian Press, Postmedia News, CBC Radio’s As It Happens, Radio-Canada International radio and CKNW Radio.

A CBC-commissioned web series on Death and Dying in Canada featured SickKids physicians and patient families. Two multimedia stories looked at palliative homecare for children and coping with the death of a child. The project was by produced by students from the University of Western Ontario’s Masters of Journalism program.

The Toronto Star published a series about a Herbie Fund patient’s facial reconstructive surgery. The initial four-page feature and follow-up story followed the patient before, during and after surgery. The series highlighted the craniofacial surgery, the multidisciplinary team including a Child Life specialist and Social Worker, as well as the International Patient Program.

The Minister of Health and Long-Term Care shared a special moment in a young patient’s life when the child’s “magic ears” were switched on for the second time on March 7. Staff from the Cochlear Implant Program and patient families joined the Minister at a news conference at SickKids to announce Ontario’s new investment in cochlear implants. Media coverage included the Canadian Press, Toronto Star, CTV, CityTV, Newstalk1010, Toronto Sun.

November 2010 – February 2011

SickKids, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and Hamad Medical Corporation are making great strides in helping to improve the lives of kids with chronic conditions in the Middle East. Media coverage included interviews with Mary Jo Haddad on CBC Radio’s Metro Morning and the The Globe and Mail.

Early eye removal in children with advanced eye cancer can be lifesaving option compared with chemotherapy, according to the January 31 Journal of Clinical Oncology study out of SickKids, Princess Margaret Hospital and Beijing Tongren Hospital. Media coverage included the The Globe and Mail, Reuters, Postmedia News, the National Post’s Posted blog, CBC.ca.

A SickKids study found that blocking an enzyme involved in the regeneration of cancer stem cells may be the key to treating tumours in the brain and other parts of the nervous system. The research was published in the January 1 advance online edition of Clinical Cancer Research. Media coverage included Postmedia News.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper stopped by Marnie’s Lounge on December 18 to visit with patients and face off with a patient and member of the Children’s Council in a game of air hockey on the table he donated. Media coverage included the Canadian Press, Reuters, CTV National, CBC News Network, Global Toronto, Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, CityTV.Researchers from the University of Helsinki and SickKids found that changing the diets of babies with high genetic risk for type 1 diabetes protected them from developing the autoimmunity that leads to type 1 diabetes. The study was published in the November 11 advance online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine. Media coverage included the The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Radio-Canada TV and Hospital News.

SickKids was inducted in the Palladium Balanced Scorecard Hall of Fame on November 10. This strategic management tool was developed by Drs. Robert Kaplan and David Norton and introduced by the Harvard Business Review. The award is viewed as one of the preeminent awards in performance management and SickKids is one of just a handful of Canadian organizations to receive it. Media coverage included Hospital News, OHA Today, Longwoods.com.

August – October 2010

A SickKids-led North American study revealed the use of an anti-vomiting drug for children with stomach flu could have significant economic benefits to the health-care system. The research was published in the October 12 advance online edition of PLoS Medicine. Media coverage included the National Post’s Posted blog, 680 News and CP24’s On Call with Dr. Karl.

SickKids opened its new home for clinical research on October 13 with the launch of the Physiological Research Unit. The grand opening, which attracted government officials, media and members of the SickKids community, featured tours of the new facility. Media coverage included the Globe and Mail and Global Toronto.

In a study out of SickKids and the University of Toronto, published in the September 28 online edition of PLoS ONE, scientists discovered a novel laser technique that could lead to near-scarless surgery. Media coverage included the Canadian Press and radio stations across Canada.

“Oh Baby … Motherisk turns 25!” Dr. Gideon Koren reflected on a quarter-century of empowering pregnant women and protecting babies around the world. Media coverage included the Toronto Star and CP24’s On Call with Dr. Karl. A video of Dr. Koren discussing Motherisk was produced and posted on the SickKids Interactive YouTube channel, with more than 320 views to date. 

A link to autism in occurring in boys is found in missing DNA, according to a study out of SickKids and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. The research was published in the September 15 issue of Science Translational Medicine. Media coverage included CBC TV’s The National, the Globe and Mail, CBC News Network (live, in-studio interview), the Canadian Press, Postmedia News (formerly Canwest News Service), Global Toronto,  QMI Agency (formerly Sun Media), 680 News, and multiple online science news outlets. 

In a landmark study, SickKids researchers showed medulloblastoma – the most common malignant childhood brain tumour – is actually four different cancers.  The study was published in the September 7 advance online edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Media coverage included the Toronto Star, Canadian Press, Global Toronto, and CP24.

A novel way of developing drugs for children with neuroblastoma was highlighted in a SickKids-led study, published in the August 18 advance online edition of EMBO Molecular Medicine. Scientists used the patients’ own cancer stem cells to test existing drugs in the lab, with promising results. Media coverage included the Toronto Sun and the Oncology Times.

A SickKids-led international study shed light on DNA mutations in 40 progressive diseases, such as Huntington’s disease, a form of muscular dystrophy and fragile X syndrome. The scientists found that as the DNA replicates, it slips, causing this mutation. This finding was reported in the August 15 advance online edition of Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. Media coverage included Postmedia News. A video of Dr. Pearson discussing the breakthrough was produced and posted on the SickKids Interactive YouTube channel, with nearly 450 views to date. 

Summer 2010

SickKids celebrated the groundbreaking of the Research & Learning Tower on May 4.

The story generated coverage from media outlets including The Globe and Mail, two stories in the  Toronto Star, National Post, a live interview with SickKids’ President & CEO Mary Jo Haddad on CBC Radio’s Metro Morning, Canwest News Service, Toronto Sun, live reports from the groundbreaking on CP24, CTV Toronto’s health report, Global Toronto, CBC TV’s News at Six, 680 News, Newstalk 1010, Canadian Healthcare Technology and Hospital News.

SickKids remembered Dr. Robert Bruce Salter, world-renowned orthopaedic surgeon, researcher, professor, humanitarian and “medical giant” whose pioneering work has impacted millions of people around the world, who died on May 10. Salter’s accomplishments were recognized in a The Globe and Mail obituary, as well as in a tribute on the SickKids website.

In the first-ever congenital heart surgery trial, a North American consortium – of which SickKids was the only Canadian member – identified a procedure that improves babies’ survival in the first year. The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine on May 26. Media coverage included Global Toronto and Hospital News.

A team of international scientists co-led by Dr. Stephen Scherer uncovered key changes in DNA in individuals with autism. The new genetic findings, published on June 9, are expected to accelerate autism testing and the development of treatments (for more watch SickKids video). The story generated significant media interest including front page stories in The Globe and Mail and Toronto Star. There was also coverage in National Post, CBC TV’s The National, CBC Radio One,  CTV National, Time.com and CNN.com: Paging Dr. Gupta. It was also the Top Story on Google News on the day of the release.   

SickKids’ own Mary Jo Haddad was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada on June 30. Media coverage included the Canadian Press, Canwest News Service and the Windsor Star.

Teens at SickKids spent “A Night in Wonderland” July 8 at the second annual prom-inspired event. Partygoers danced, mingled with Canadian celebrities and enjoyed star treatment from hairstylists and makeup artists. Media coverage included CBC TV’s News: Toronto Late Night, CBC Radio’s Here and Now, CBC Radio’s Metro Morning, Global Toronto, CTV Toronto and Entertainment Tonight Canada.

A study out of SickKids and St. Michael’s Hospital, published July 12 in Pediatrics, found doctors can influence when parents wean their children from the bottle, which can help reduce tooth decay, obesity and iron deficiency. Media coverage included The Globe and Mail, Canwest News Service, CBC.ca, Sun Media, MedPage Today and CNN.com.

January - March 2010

Using a standard blood pressure cuff in a new way can reduce the size of adult heart attacks by as much as 50 per cent, according to an international study coordinated by Dr. Andrew Redington at SickKids. The story generated coverage in Canadian Press, Canwest News Service, The Globe and Mail and CBC Radio’s As it Happens. It was also picked up by online news sources across North America, including Yahoo! News, MSN Health and Fitness, CBS Chicago, ABC Raleigh and Philadelphia, and was one of the top news stories of the day on the Google News home page.

A SickKids-led study found that one in three Ontarians is at risk of being diagnosed with asthma. Media coverage included CBC Radio’s Metro Morning, Here and Now, Ontario Today and World Report, CBC TV’s News at Six, and Toronto Star.

SickKids announced a partnership with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) in Qatar Feb. 7 to advise on the creation of a brand new, state-of-the-art children’s hospital in the Middle East. Media coverage included CBC Radio’s Metro Morning, Toronto Star (business story and editorial), Hospital News, Canadian Healthcare Technology, Qatar Tribune and other international sources.

SickKids Team Obesity Management Program (STOMP) offers a new resource to Canadian teens dealing with complex severe obesity. The story was reported by The Globe and Mail, Canwest News Service, CBC’s The National, CBC News Network, Toronto Star and Radio-Canada.

AboutKidsHealth received a $4.5 million investment from the Government of Canada. The funds will be used to build a national network of partners and translate the AKH website into other languages. Media coverage included Canadian Press, CBC News at Six, CTV Toronto and Toronto Sun.

SickKids celebrated the opening of the family-centred Sears Cancer Clinic. Media coverage included CBC Radio’s Metro Morning and Here and Now, CBC News at Six, Global Toronto, Toronto Sun, CityTV and Omni TV.