Possibilities Fund
Transforming paediatric research, education and care
POSSIBILITIES FUND
The Possibilities Fund
has the greatest
potential to transform
child health.
100,000
Patients are cared for each
year at SickKIds
3,000
Trainees learn about worldclass paediatric health at
SickKids on an annual basis
2,000+
Scientists and research
staff make discoveries
every day at SickKids
strategically to our most urgent funding needs as they arise, including
support for people, physical structure, and world-class programs in
research, education, and patient care.
Why SickKids
Anything is Possible
SickKids is an exceptional place offering
world-class patient care, research discoveries
that are changing the field of health, and
global knowledge-sharing initiatives to ensure
that every child has a chance at health.
SickKids is a world leader in children’s
health research, education, and care. With the
support of our generous donor community,
the Possibilities Fund provides support for
all of these areas of excellence as well as
infrastructure, equipment, and child health
advocacy. Investments through the Possibilities
Fund provide tremendous returns in the form
of children who have improved outcomes, less
stressful visits to the hospital, and better health.
SickKids provides unparalleled care to the
sickest, most fragile children.
The Possibilities Fund
The most flexible source of funding — and
therefore the one with the greatest potential
to transform child health — is the Possibilities
Fund. This Fund is available for any of our
most urgent needs, including the need to:
provide the best, most innovative care
to patients, whether they are critically
ill, injured, or living with a chronic
condition;
invest in research projects so that scientists
can change the future of child health; and
train doctors who care for children across
Canada and around the world.
The Possibilities Fund supports people,
programs, and physical infrastructure, and
allows SickKids to continue our operations
and work to enhance child health.
Research: Discoveries Lead to Recoveries
Research has tremendous potential to
transform child health. Thanks to donations
through the Possibilities Fund, diabetes is no
longer a death sentence; cancer survival rates
are higher than they have ever been; children
born with cystic fibrosis can now survive
into adulthood; and infants can receive heart
transplants from donors with incompatible
blood types. Donor support provides
researchers with the best support for their
ideas. The vast majority of the inspirational
and visionary work of Canada’s researchers
goes unfunded, but thanks to donor support,
ideas at SickKids become discoveries that
lead to recoveries.
Capital: Tools Equals Treatments
Buildings age, technology becomes outdated,
SickKids Foundation
and equipment breaks and yet, SickKids
cannot falter in our commitment to providing
patients with the best care. Children heal best
in a clean, open, and modern environment
where they feel safe and comfortable. Donor
dollars through the Possibilities Fund are
absolutely essential to achieving positive
outcomes for our patients.
Education: Knowing and Growing
In Canada, the majority of paediatric
specialists received some of their training
at SickKids. On an annual basis, more than
3,000 trainees from over 62 countries come to
SickKids for training. When you factor in the
high number of peer-reviewed research
publications; knowledge transfer programs;
and SickKids reputation that leads to hundreds
of invitations to lecture around the world, it
really is true that SickKids trains the world
in child health.
Impact
The Possibilities Fund gives us the resources
to be flexible and strategic in allocating funds
to our people, our programs, and our physical
space, in order to foster excellence in clinical
expertise, research innovation, and educational
outreach.
Endless Possibilities
Donor support gives us the ability to invest
in child health solutions as they arise. When
research projects that have tremendous
potential but little supporting data emerge,
we have the flexibility to disburse funds to
these projects that can transform child health.
As soon as discoveries are translated into new
treatments, we have the financial capacity to
integrate these into care.
In 2013-2014, funds from the Possibilities
Fund went to support child health advances
at SickKids and around the world. The
Possibilities Fund allows us to support our
highest priorities requiring urgent attention,
including medical equipment and patient
programs.
Meet Brygette
By the age of two, Brygette
had been hospitalized more
than 40 times with fevers,
severe symptoms of IBD, and
disabling arthritis. Doctors
were unable to determine the
cause of her suffering and
were running out of treatment
options.
This past year, the Possibilities Fund helped:
SickKids care for more than 100,000
patients;
Scientists at the SickKids Research
Institute make groundbreaking
discoveries that will advance health
science; and
SickKids collaborate with health-care
organizations in more than 75 countries,
to build sustainable, integrated programs
dedicated to child health.
The Possibilities Fund will continue to
enable us to respond quickly to emerging
opportunities at the hospital and the Peter
Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning.
DNA, researcher and
gastroenterologist at
discovered a genetic mutation
symptoms. The mutated gene
As a result of this discovery,
patient in Canada, and one
cured of her IBD through a
bone marrow transplant. “Our
lives have been completely
transformed,” says her mom.
Brygette is now completely
cured. She is an active and
happy 5-year old girl.
Our Funding Goals
The possibilities are endless. An investment in the Possibilities Fund will help ensure
that SickKids remains at the forefront of research, learning and care for the benefit of
children everywhere.
“We do what we do—
research at the hospital—
because we want to implement
change. We want to see
change that impacts child
health.”
~ Dr. Janet Rossant,
Chief of Research at the Peter Gilgan
Centre for Research and Learning and
Senior Scientist
SickKids Foundation
525 University Avenue, 14th Floor
Toronto, Ontario M5G 2L3
416.813.6166
416.813.5024
PHONE
FAX
Charitable Business Number:
10808 4419 RR0001
www.sickkidsfoundation.com