Funds raised by the CHEO Foundation supply extras that help the doctors, nurses and staff provide the excellence in health care that our children and youth so richly deserve.

As a result of community support, CHEO has an exceptional heart-catheterization laboratory, a state-of-the-art research institute, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) facility. The Foundation in recent years has undertaken a special campaign to provide additional funds for equipment and research. Funds raised by the Foundation have helped CHEO researchers to trial promising new therapies for brain tumours, investigate life-threatening childhood sleep disorders, prevent bone disease in children with chronic diseases, and trial new therapies for autism. Each year, the hospital identifies major areas that require funding. These have traditionally fallen into one of the following areas:

  • Research
  • Equipment
  • Staff Training
  • Family emergency needs
  • Enhancements to the pediatric nature of the hospital

The Management from both the hospital and the foundation collaborate to distribute the funds where the needs are greatest. The Resource Allocation Committee of the Medical Advisory Committee reviews submissions for new pieces of equipment to establish the priorities. When a piece of equipment requires additional funding, the CEO of the hospital may then ask to make a presentation to the Foundation Board of Directors for special consideration.

The Foundation commits money every year to the CHEO Research Institute for the support of researchers and their projects. Research activity takes place both in the world-class laboratory facilities of the CHEO Research Institute as well as the bedside where research findings make a difference in the lives of our children, youth and their families. The focus of research at the CHEO RI ranges from uncovering new treatments for cancer, discovering the genetic cause of diseases, ensuring privacy of electronic medical records and developing new approaches for the diagnosis and management of clinical conditions such as obesity, mental illness, emergency medicine problems, and bone and infectious disease conditions. The work in these areas involves collaborations between scientists, physicians, nurses, allied health professionals and skilled staff in both bench research and clinical trials. The findings from their studies are ultimately translated to the bedside to improve the care of children and youth whether they present locally to CHEO, or to a hospital in Canada or around the world.

Foundation funding also helps enhance the pediatric nature of the hospital by providing books, entertainment, crafts and games to name only a few items that make a patient’s stay more pleasant.

In summary, most Foundation funding is provided to the hospital on a priority basis.

Upcoming CHEO Events

There are so many different events that happen in support of CHEO and for that we are most grateful. Please check out our special events calendar so you can join us and help make a difference. Feel free to become involved as a volunteer or organize your own event.

Jamboree for CHEO

Anne Marie and the Country Pals – Jamboree for CHEO Sunday, April 7, 2024 – 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Royal…

Maddy’s Gala

Please join us for Maddy’s 15th Annual Gala. An evening that will pull at your heart strings where our mission…