Thank you for making miracles happen.
Kirmac Collision Services
Table Of Contents
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Kirmac Collision Services and Miracle Weekend 2013
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Where Your Donation Goes
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Miracle Weekend Dollars at Work
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Celebrating Kirmac Collision Services
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Print Recognition
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Kirmac Collision’s Services Fundraising Highlights
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Miracle Weekend and other event photos
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Thank You
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Meet the Kids Who Inspire Us
Thank you, Kirmac Collision Services!
With Kirmac Collision Services’ support, the 2013 Miracle Weekend raised an amazing $18,353,580 for BC Children’s Hospital. Your contribution will have a profound impact on tens of thousands of British Columbian families, whose children rely on the specialized care only BC Children’s Hospital provides. On Miracle Weekend we celebrated with the entire province how your involvement is helping to make BC Children’s Hospital a leader in pediatric care. Kirmac Collision Services’ support is very important to the hospital and we thank you for caring so deeply about the well-being of children in BC and the Yukon.
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Where Your Donation Goes Tens of thousands of children across the province depend on BC Children’s Hospital throughout their childhood and adolescence. Your support of Miracle Weekend helps our teams of caregivers and researchers to help them live longer, healthier lives. The majority of funds raised through Miracle Weekend go directly to the hospital, primarily through the Excellence in Child Health Fund to meet the most urgent health needs of children and youth in the province. The foundation’s cost of fundraising is less than 20 per cent.
The Importance of the Excellence in Child Health Fund Money raised through Miracle Weekend is the primary source of funding for the Excellence in Child Health Fund. This fund allows BC Children’s Hospital, its sister facility Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, and the Child & Family Research Institute (CFRI) located next door to determine the areas of greatest need each year and distribute funds where they are needed most. This ensures the most urgent health needs of today’s children are met. The Excellence in Child Health Fund supports care through several important areas:
Childhood disease research; The purchase of and/or upgrading to state-of-theart medical equipment; and Health Promotion and education.
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Research Every day over 200 scientists and researchers at the Child & Family Research Institute conduct innovative research into illnesses that affect children – including cancer, cystic fibrosis and diabetes – with the goal of finding better treatments and cures. The close relationship and physical proximity between the CFRI and Children’s Hospital enable researchers, many of whom also have a clinical practice treating patients at the hospital, to directly translate findings from their labs into treatments and new therapies that benefit BC’s children as quickly as possible.
Several exciting breakthrough discoveries have emerged in the past year: Understanding Dyslexia A brain imaging study, led by Dr. Deborah Giaschi’s CFRI research team, is providing evidence that children with dyslexia may not only have difficulty with reading, but also with processing complex sounds. Dyslexia is a common condition that affects about 700,000 children and teens in Canada alone. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), Dr. Giaschi and MSc student Marita Partanen observed the brain responses of 10 teens with average reading ability, and nine with dyslexia, to a sound-processing test. Results show significant brain response differences between the groups. This finding provides a deeper understanding – and may lead to changes in early screening and management – of dyslexia.
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Bringing Hope to Kids with Cystic Fibrosis Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is the most common genetic disease in young Canadians, affecting one in every 3,600 children. There is no known cure. A buildup of mucus in the lungs causes children with CF to be susceptible to lung infections, which trigger inflammation and swelling. Over time, the recurring cycle of infection and inflammation damages the lungs, sometimes leaving a lung transplant as the only treatment. Dr. Stuart Turvey, a senior clinician scientist at the CFRI and a pediatric immunologist at BC Children’s Hospital, discovered a new drug with potential for treating CF lung disease. Dr. Turvey’s discovery is the first step in identifying new medicines that can reduce lung inflammation in children with CF, decreasing the likelihood that a lung transplant will be required.
Luca’s Story Luca’s parents, Lisa and Jim, knew something wasn’t quite right with their infant son’s digestive system. After seeking answers for several months, Luca’s parents were devastated to learn that their then two-year-old son had CF. Once the news set in, Lisa and Jim were determined to be the greatest advocates for Luca’s health. Today, Luca manages his cystic fibrosis well through a strict daily regimen of medication and therapy. Twice a day Luca must use a PEP mask to do physiotherapy, in addition to taking up to 45 pills a day to combat infection and aid digestion. Luca makes regular visits to see specialists at Children's Hospital, and for X-rays and blood tests. At times, he has been admitted for up to two weeks for a "tune-up." Lisa often says CF is an invisible disease as, meeting Luca, he looks very healthy. His outgoing personality and winning smile make it hard to believe that underneath lays a disease that he battles every day.
For the past year, 12-year-old Luca Piccolo (left) represented BC Children’s Hospital as part of the Champions presented by Walmart Canada program. This Children’s Miracle Network program honours remarkable children who have triumphed despite severe medical challenges.
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Equipment Equipment needs at Children’s Hospital and Sunny Hill are unique and distinct from adult hospitals. Our hospital must stock age- and size-appropriate equipment, and also frequently replace old and obsolete equipment with newer models due to ongoing developments in technology and care. This allows us to provide the best care and treatment available to help take care for BC’s sickest kids. Modern equipment helps to reduce the amount of pain and discomfort a child experiences during a medical procedure, reduces risk and improves safety, among other benefits, by enabling caregivers to provide more effective and more precise care. Some of the equipment we have purchased with your support includes: A Vivid E9 ultrasound machine, giving cardiologists quick access to exceptional-quality 2D and 3D images of a child’s heart and its inner workings, to better analyze the child’s heart function, provide more accurate diagnoses and offer the best treatment options. A rapid infuser for our operating room, a life-saving device that permits the quick delivery of fluids to maintain stable blood flow in critically ill children. An upgrade to a three-dimensional navigation system that lets neurosurgeons pinpoint the exact location of a tumour. The equipment improves their line of sight and reduces the duration of surgeries. A EasyStand Evolv stander at Sunny Hill, with over 50 configurations that can be customized to each child’s needs, allowing patients with mobility challenges to stand and achieve greater independence while improving bone density.
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Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children Sunny Hill serves children from birth to 19 years with developmental challenges and rehabilitation needs. Many of the children seen at Sunny Hill also receive care at the hospital. Children require the services of Sunny Hill’s caregivers for a variety of reasons. Typically, they have a condition that affects their growth or development, or may require rehabilitation following an injury or surgery. Sunny Hill caregivers devise customized therapy and treatment plans for each child to help them achieve their maximum potential and best quality of life. Their work is aided by specialized equipment, purchased with your support, to help assess, diagnose and rehabilitate the children they see.
Christian’s Story When Christian Martinez was very young, he was diagnosed with intermediate intellectual delay and cerebral palsy, which affects his ability to walk. The 12year-old visits the gait lab at Sunny Hill regularly to have his walking ability monitored. Caregivers used motion capture technology to compare Christian’s walking with normal gait patterns, helping to determine how his feet function. By using a specialized foot pressure measurement device, technicians now understand exactly what is happening as Christian stands and walks, and have fit him with customized orthotic foot braces to help him walk. Since receiving the braces, Christian’s endurance has improved. He is able to hold his body straighter and walk more easily, which has helped him build self -confidence and enhance his enjoyment of life, as every child his age should.
Christian Martinez and his mom, Bianca
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Miracle Weekend Dollars at Work BC Children’s Hospital, Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children and the Child & Family Research Institute (CFRI) rely on undesignated dollars raised primarily through Miracle Weekend to meet annual, urgent needs including support for research, equipment purchases and programs and activities associated with health promotion and education. The majority of dollars raised through Miracle Weekend flow into the Excellence in Child Health Fund and are used to meet these annual needs, which have grown over time. Some donations recognized during Miracle Weekend are designated to specific programs or activities that are not part of the hospital’s annual request, so the foundation must also direct revenue from other sources, such as lotteries and investment income, to meet the hospital’s annual needs. The undesignated donations that make up the Excellence in Child Health Fund play a vital role in ensuring BC Children’s Hospital and Sunny Hill are able to provide the best in care, using the latest equipment and with the support of health promotion and education programs aimed at training staff in new techniques and best practices, and helping families raise healthy children. These undesignated donations also ensure children in BC and the Yukon benefit from the groundbreaking research that takes place on the BC Children’s Hospital site.
The charts on this page reflect A) the use of funds, including undesignated Miracle Weekend dollars and other money contributed to the foundation, to meet annual, urgent needs identified by the hospital; and B) the use of all funds provided to the hospital, Sunny Hill and the CFRI by the foundation. 7
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Celebrating Kirmac Collision Services BC Children’s Hospital Foundation is proud to honour and acknowledge Kirmac Collision Services incredible generosity to BC Children’s Hospital and the Excellence in Child Health Fund with the following recognition:
Recognition during the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation’s Miracle Weekend telethon on June 1 & 2, 2013, sharing with the entire province the impact Kirmac Collision Services has made:
Celebration of Kirmac Collision Services’ fundraising total with a live cheque presentation and interview.
Corporate Recognition
Company name listed on BC Children’s Hospital Foundation website http://www.bcchf.ca/events/events-calendar/miracle-weekend/
Our website (bcchf.ca) received 410,829 visits from June 1, 2012 to June 1, 2013 - an average of 1,100 hits a day
Opportunity to utilize BC Children’s Hospital Foundation’s logo in promoting your 2013 partnership with the hospital. (Guidelines are available and all artwork must be approved by the Foundation.)
Print Recognition
Acknowledgement in The Province newspaper ad following Miracle Weekend (circulation: 866,600).
Acknowledgement in the summer 2013 issue of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation’s Speaking of Children magazine (circulation: 60,000).
Recognition listing in the 2012-2013 Annual Report to the Community (circulation: 20,000)
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Print Recognition Full-page advertisement in The Province
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Miracle Weekend 2013 Event Photos
Miracle Weekend Highlights
Ian McIntosh is interviewed by Global BC Host, Samantha Falk
Above: Kirmac Collision Services’ cheque presentation live on Global BC
Fin joins Global reporter, Elaine Yong, in the kids play area
Below: The team from Kirmac Collision Services’ presents their cheque for $162,881.15
Kirmac Collision Services and Foundation Board Members proudly display their 2012/2013 fundraising efforts
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Event Photos
Above: Thank you Kirmac for helping us raise over $18 million dollars for BC’s kids!
Below: High fives all around as the final total is revealed
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Thank You Thank you, Kirmac Collision Services, for your support of BC Children’s Hospital’s 26th annual Miracle Weekend. Your contributions not only ensures that we meet the diverse health needs of our patients, but that BC Children’s Hospital remains the place where children and families know they can find the care they need, every day of the year. Thank you for giving children in BC and the Yukon their best chance for a healthy future.
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MEET THE KIDS WHO INSPIRE US Daisy Irwin
Sooke
It's hard to imagine that infants can develop cancer. Unfortunately, Daisy Irwin did. At only 10 weeks old, Daisy was diagnosed with a rare combination of ALL and AML leukemia. With this notoriously difficult cancer to treat, Daisy arrived at BC Children's Hospital to begin chemotherapy immediately after diagnosis. The treatment was incredibly hard on her body, and she spent an entire month on a ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit following her first round of chemo. At only six months old, she received a desperately needed bone marrow transplant. Although the transplant was Daisy's only chance at life, it also was the cause of a dangerous transplant complication called Acute GVHD, where the immune system doesn't accept the transplant and attacks. The Irwin family spent eight months away from home, living at BC Children's Hospital and trying their best to be there, not only for Daisy, but also for her two-year-old sister, Molly. The worst days seemed to be those when Daisy was in isolation and Molly had to stay away from the hospital because of a cold. A real fighter, Daisy gave it everything she had to stay alive and that she did. Now seven years old, her prognosis is good for a bright future.
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Cole Price Surrey
When Cole was two he was sick almost constantly. His mom, Lisa, was concerned but had no idea that Cole's immune system was turning against the insulin-producing cells of his pancreas. With no family history of the disease, Cole was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2011. Untrained on how to test glucose levels or administer insulin, his parents commuted daily from Cloverdale, BC, to Children's Hospital to get Cole the care he needed. After six days of intensive monitoring, treatments and training, Cole's parents were ready to begin caring for him at home. Thanks to the care and support of BC Children's Hospital caregivers and his parents, Cole is doing well and today, he is four years old and growing bigger each day. Lisa says they still struggle with his blood glucose levels overnight. After two years, they still must wake Cole up 1:30 am, 4:30 am and 7:30 am to test his blood and, often, must either treat him for hypoglycemia – when his blood sugar levels drop too low – or feed him to try to avoid it. Despite this, his family's daytime routine has become more predictable and easier to manage. Cole is slowly learning how to recognize hypoglycemia himself – telling his parents when he is hungry, which can be a sign of low blood sugar. Lisa is hopeful that Cole's ability to recognize hypoglycemia will continue to improve as he starts kindergarten full-time in September.
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Maya Ajuha Abbotsford Months before she was born, Maya’s parents Gary and Karm found out through an ultrasound that their daughter had a congenital heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallot as well as a cleft palate. As soon as Maya was born, she was taken to the Intensive Care Unit at BC Children’s Hospital. “Every mother looks forward to the end of the journey of labour and that moment they get to hold their baby in their arms,” says Karm. “I had 30 seconds and then she was whisked away from me. I didn’t hold her again for 10 hours. Even then, it wasn’t the same feeling as we were in the ICU, with little to no privacy.” Maya underwent open-heart surgery in October 2010 to treat her heart defect – she was only four months old. Shortly after the operation, with her parents at her bedside, Maya suddenly flat-lined and showed no sign of a pulse on the heart monitor. The intensive care doctors and nurses took action immediately. “Watching doctors save a life may be exciting on TV or in the movies, but as a parent, it is unbearable,” says Gary. Maya’s heart had stopped beating for 22 minutes. Thanks to the expertise of the caregiving team at BC Children’s, Maya’s life was saved. To aid in her recovery, Maya was hooked up to ECMO, a heart and lung machine. After six weeks at BC Children’s, Maya was finally able to return home. Today Maya still faces developmental challenges. She uses a feeding tube to drink milk and struggles to gain adequate weight. Since her hospital stay she has also been diagnosed with a genetic condition called Cornelia de Lange syndrome, a developmental disorder that affects many parts of her body. As she grows she will still require another heart operation to fix the blood flow between her left and right atria. Despite these challenges Gary and Karm say words can’t describe the gratitude they have for the hospital’s doctors and nurses. The couple is also thankful for the support of family and friends for giving them a shoulder to cry on, and a much-needed distraction from the hard reality that their daughter was so terribly sick. The Ahuja family is comforted in knowing that whatever medical challenges lay ahead for Maya, they will not have to face them alone. With the support of family, friends and the outstanding caregivers at BC Children’s, Maya will be given the best chance of a bright future.
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