Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation
You’re doing it again! You may recall two stories from our 2012 No Limits Newsletter that described how Holland Bloorview’s clinicians and nurses are generating a great deal of interest by identifying effective pain assessment tools to help improve quality of life for children with disabilities.
Returning kids to safe play after concussion Holland Bloorview’s Centre for Concussion Research is one of the first in the world to focus on pediatric concussion It is estimated that minor hockey players in Ontario alone experience approximately 36,000 concussions every year. That translates into two to three hockey players per team. According to research, concussions can impact daily life in the short and longterm, and in some instances lead to early death.
This work was made possible by your donations. It gets better. Thanks to your visionary support, the Ontario government is taking notice. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care is so impressed with the work that it is interested in partnering with Holland Bloorview to help accelerate its plan to develop clinical practice guidelines so that kids with disabilities throughout the province may benefit. This includes pain assessments tools for children with cerebral palsy who are unable to communicate verbally. Your donations play a critical role in bringing breakthrough findings from the lab to the community. Thank you for helping to change the world for children at Holland Bloorview, and across the province too!
NEWSLETTER 2013
Photo: Sean, research participant, Dr. Michelle Keightley, Clinician Scientist
Sixteen-year-old Sean remembers his first concussion, sort of. He was chasing a puck at full speed when two opposing players tripped and body checked him, sending him head first into the boards. What followed was a blur. Sean sustained a significant concussion. At the time, he was 12 years old. Sean’s story is not unusual.
Despite the frequency of sportsrelated concussions, very little is known about its impact on young brains. Holland Bloorview, with the help of its donors, is developing one of the world’s first assessment tools and treatments for kids with concussion. Sean was fortunate. His hockey team was participating in a study with what was then called the BrainFit Lab, which is now part of Holland Bloorview’s new Centre for Concussion Research. Led by Dr. Michelle Keightley, a Clinician Scientist, with support from Dr. Nick Reed, a Clinical Research Associate, the Lab was conducting baseline studies on young hockey N O LIMITS — NEW S L ETTER 2013
players who had not experienced concussions. Following his injury, Sean repeated the tests he did for the baseline study. Not surprising, Sean did not do as well as before the injury. “Until now, concussion research has largely focused on the adult population, but we know that the brains and bodies of youth and children are continually developing, which appear to make them more vulnerable to the effects of concussion,” says Dr. Keightley. Trail-blazers, Dr. Keightley and Dr. Reed are among the first in the world to study the influence of pediatric concussion on thinking, balance and strength over a multi-year period, with the aim of reducing future injury. They are also among the first to use brain imaging to determine how a young brain responds to concussion, and one of the first to bring concussion testing into the real world like hockey arenas. The researchers want to expand their groundbreaking studies, and involve 1,400 participants in the next two years. With backgrounds as a clinical neuropsychologist and occupational therapist
respectively, Dr. Keightley and Dr. Reed bring a unique perspective to their research, a perspective that Holland Bloorview helps foster. “Research and clinical care are aligned under one roof at Holland Bloorview, which helps inform optimal rehabilitation,” says Dr. Reed. “It is also located in a region with the highest number of hockey teams in the world.” With donor support, the Centre for Concussion Research, which is part of the Centre for Leadership in Acquired Brain Injury, is developing tools to help young athletes, parents and coaches assess and monitor concussion. One such tool is a smartphone application that combines neurophysiologicial data, such as heart rate variability, with self reporting to help athletes and their support team determine the right amount of rest and exercise at the right time. The Centre for Concussion Research is so important that it received funding from the Canadian Institute for Health Research. “The Centre for Concussion Research is turning heads, but more funding is urgently needed to ensure that all children with concussions benefit from these groundbreaking findings as
quickly as possible,” says Tracey Bailey, President and CEO of Holland Bloorview Foundation. “We are extremely excited by the potential of Dr. Keightley and Dr. Reed’s research and encourage donors to give generously to help kids get back in the game safely.” After four months of strength, balance and cognitive exercises, Sean was ready for supervised hockey practice. He encourages other young athletes to take concussions seriously. “It’s your brain,” says Sean. “What do you value more, the rest of your life or the next three weeks in playoffs?” Photo: Above, Dr. Nick Reed, Clinical Research Associate, Sean, research participant
THANKS TO OUR AMAZING COMMUNITY PARTNERS!
Kasting 4 Kids Rehab raised $180,000 in June, bringing its total raised to $650,000! Thanks to Real Matters, BMO Capital Markets, Altus Group & Argus Software, Dell Software, the Franklin Club, and all of the event sponsors. NO L I M I T S — N E W S L E T TE R 2 0 1 3
A memorable evening of rock & roll, Music Heals 2 raised $37,000 for the Biggar Endowment, thanks to the extraordinary League of Ordinary Gentlemen.
At the Great Wolf Lodge Car Wash, participants bought exciting water park passes and a clean car, all while raising $94,000. A second car wash is in the works at Holland Bloorview. Stay tuned!
The stars came out to Mingle for a Mission in early June. Brugs Army’s first fundraiser raised $21,000 through this TV celebrity fan expo!
This Halloween, play, win and help kids. The countdown to Change for Kids is on!
It’s coming. This time, more spook-tacular than ever! Dust off your witch’s broom and practice your best ghoulish cackle. It’s coming. Change for Kids 2013! The countdown is on! This Halloween, expect the same amazing prizes, more places to buy Change for Kids coin cards, and opportunities to help change the world for kids with disabilities. Our founding sponsors, City, Great Wolf Lodge and Scotiabank are helping us make Change for Kids an even greater success than last year! This October, look for Change for Kids ads on buses and streetcars, TV and jumbo screens, and in magazines. Tune in and hear us on radio! Beginning in October, visit any Scotiabank branch in the GTA as well as Rexall™ Pharma Plus® and Spirit Halloween stores to buy your Change for Kids coin cards for $5 each. Or, buy your coin card online at changeforkids.ca. Cards may also be purchased at the Holland Bloorview Foundation office. For a full list of distributors visit changeforkids.ca Sponsored by:
Each coin card contains 20 coins with PIN codes to hand out to trick-or-treaters for their chance to win one of 500 exciting prizes from Great Wolf Lodge, Scotiabank, Toys“R”Us and Cineplex. The more PIN codes kids enter, the greater their chances to win the Grand Prize: a weekend stay at Great Wolf Lodge for 50 people valued at $20,000! Committed to supporting the community it serves, Scotiabank is offering families the opportunity to give back. In addition to offering 10 $1,000 RESPs in prizes, Scotiabank will once again donate $5* for every PIN code entered online. Amazing prizes, more places to purchase Change for Kids coin cards, and a fun way to give back during Halloween! Change for Kids will be more spook-tacular than ever! Find out about exciting Change for Kids updates. Visit changeforkids.ca, like Holland Bloorview Foundation on Facebook and follow @Bloorview on Twitter. *Up to $50,000
INCLUDING A $20,000 GREAT WOLF LODGE WEEKEND! See inside for details.
Participate today, visit
changeforkids.ca
N O LIMITS — NEW S L ETTER 2013
More great ways to help change the world. Our highest priorities now Autism Research Centre
Your support means new drugs to treat autism, and therapies that may prevent, delay or minimize behavioural issues associated with the disorder.
Family Support Fund
When the high cost of raising a child associated with a disability becomes too much, your gift to the Family Support Fund helps families purchase equipment and buy special medications.
The Biggar Endowment
Kids with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy are living longer thanks to Dr. Biggar. Now you can help youth with neuromuscular disorders accomplish their goals and live their dreams.
Is your child having a birthday soon? Help your child receive the birthday gift they really want while helping other kids. Visit hollandbloorviewfoundation.ca and click the ECHOage button. Half the money raised will fund your child’s gift of choice and half will support Holland Bloorview’s groundbreaking programs and services for kids with disabilities. Easy to set up and manage!
Mark your calendar & sign up today! 5th Annual Tamil Canadian Walk September 15, 2013 Thomson Memorial Park, Scarborough BLOOM Speaker Night Arthur Fleischmann, author of Carly’s Voice: Breaking Through Autism Tuesday, September 17, 2013. 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Holland Bloorview Family Resource Centre, RSVP: ndyke@hollandbloorview.ca Floka & Friends Cut-a-Thon September 22, 2013 FLOKA Salon and Spa Sunnybrook Plaza, 660 Eglinton Ave East, Toronto 4th Annual Stems of Hope Gala, Just be Love October 4, 2013 Muzik, 15 Saskatchewan Road, Toronto Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon October 20, 2013 Run or walk for Holland Bloorview. The Muir Family will match the funds you raise!* * Up to $5,000 Find out more Contact Shannon Boeckner at sboeckner@hollandbloorview.ca. Want to stay connected? Follow Holland Bloorview on @Bloorview and at Holland Bloorview Foundation for the latest news and updates. Holland Bloorview’s BLOOM Blog was voted one of the Top Non-profit Blogs in the World. Visit: www.hollandbloorviewfoundation.ca
Getting married? On your wedding day, help change the world for kids with disabilities by asking your guests to contribute to Holland Bloorview. We will help you every step of the way, and provide you with beautiful and customized cards for display at your reception. Contact us at (416) 424-3809 or foundation@hollandbloorview.ca. Congratulations!
‘Tis the season – to create a world of possibility Get a head start this holiday season by purchasing your festive holiday cards in support of kids with disabilities. To order, contact us at (416) 424-3809 or foundation@hollandbloorview.ca.
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation, 150 Kilgour Road, Toronto, ON M4G 1R8 T: 416-424-3809 | F: 416-425-4531 | E: foundation@hollandbloorview.ca www.hollandbloorviewfoundation.ca | Charitable Business Number: 88932-6278-RR0001 NO L I M I T S — N E W S L E T TE R 2 0 1 3