Toronto
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Research is hope, the hope that allows the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto to push forward each day as they care for Canada's sickest youngsters. On Tuesday ground was broken for their latest project, the 21-storey Research & Learning Tower.
Leaders of Sick Kids Hospital gathered Tuesday morning at Bay Street and Elm Street in downtown Toronto to celebrate the ground breaking of a $400 million research facility that will lead Sick Kids Hospital into the future. The Tower is slated to be completed by 2013.
Who knew that Pablum, the children's cereal, would some day lead Sick Kids to being at the forefront in children's medical research?
In 1930 the most pressing health concern for Canada's children was malnutrition. Sick Kids developed Pablum. The proceeds from the cereal funded the opening of the Research Institute, a first for a hospital in Canada in 1954.
"We take our responsibility as a world leader in children's health seriously," President and CEO of Sick Kids, Mary Jo Haddad said, starting off the morning's celebration.
The 750,000-square-foot Research & Learning Tower will expand on the research that goes on everyday behind the walls of Sick Kids. When completed it will house 2,000 scientists, trainees and child health research staff. Researchers will work in one of seven 'neighbourhoods.' Each neighbourhood will be inspired by a cutting-edge research theme and will take up two to three floors of the tower.
Dr. Eliot Phillipson, President and CEO, Canada Foundation for Innovation
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"Bringing all these world-class researchers together in a single facility will undeniably translate into results that will benefit all Canadians," Dr. Eliot Phillipson, President and CEO for the Canada Foundation for Innovation, said Tuesday.
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That research will add to the number of children who can happily say I beat cancer like Alexandra. Alexandra was diagnosed with Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma in 2006. Today she said she wants to work someday in the Tower doing research.
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Brandon Gibson is alive because of Sick Kids. The young man underwent a double-lung transplant in November 2006 because of cystic fibrosis. Today, a full time student the shy boy said he was thankful for the research that has added to the quality of his life.
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Little Jack is a famous kid in Toronto. He has run the Jack's Lemonade Stand for SickKids since 2007. Last May the stand brought in $150,000 for SickKids-not bad for a seven-year-old. Jack has been at SickKids since before his first birthday when he began to have seizures. In January 2010 Jack underwent three surgeries including the removal of his left frontal lobe. He has not had a seizure since.
Tim Hockey, Chair, Campaign Cabinet
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Constance Sugiyama, Chair, SickKids Board of Trustees
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Hon. Gary Goodyear, Minister of State
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Groundbreaking in Toronto for the Research & Learning Tower at the Hospital for Sick Children
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Groundbreaking in Toronto for the Research & Learning Tower at the Hospital for Sick Children
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