It's an exciting time at CHEO with the recent opening of the new Garry Cardiff Wing, which houses an expanded emergency department and medical day unit. Now the focus turns to what goes on inside the building. To help with that we have launched a new capital campaign called BIG STEPS. We are very proud of how far we've come already and are working hard to reach our $25 million goal. The BIG STEPS campaign is raising money for two areas - advancing research and improving equipment.

While the CHEO Foundation engages in numerous fundraising activities throughout the year, the $25 million BIG STEPS campaign is something quite different. It is part of an ambitious vision for CHEO to attract the best research minds, physicians and health care providers and equip them with advanced tools and technologies needed to care for and cure our kids.

Each of these areas encompasses four key pillars. The research component of the campaign will focus on clinical, pediatric cancer, childhood obesity and mental health research and build on CHEO's recognition as a centre of world-leading research into childhood diseases. The equipment component of the campaign will focus on bringing new technologies to CHEO and upgrading existing equipment in the areas of emergency and critical care, surgical equipment, diagnostic imaging and information technology.

We have made a great start on the campaign thanks in part to the generosity of physicians and staff who have raised over $1.7 million! In addition, Costco Wholesale Canada has raised and amazing total of $3.7 million. We are happy to announce that to date, the campaign has raised over $10 million towards our goal.

It takes a dedicated group of volunteers to achieve such success, and I am proud to announce the leader of the campaign task force - Charles Ofori-Attah. Charles is a former CHEO patient and a dynamic young man who is leading a group of talented volunteers in our fundraising campaign efforts.

With a generous community, and people who recognize the value in supporting our world class health care facility I am confident that we will reach our goal. Your support will directly benefit not only children under CHEO's care, but kids everywhere. Thank you for your generous support of the campaign.

For more information about the BIG STEPS Campaign, please visit www.bigsteps.ca.

Frederick M. Bartlett
President & CEO
CHEO Foundation