Projects we Support.
100% of donations directly reach the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation, and ACK works closely with the team to select specific beneficiary projects.
How your generous donation will help:*
Programs
20%including Parental Presence at Induction, BAHA, Bereavement Box Program, Tips of the Toes, Art and Music Therapy, and Dr. Clown
Facilities
20%including the Adolescent Clinic (under development), and Cardiovascular Research Library
Research
20%including the Children’s Brain Trauma Program
40%Andy Collins for Kids Endowment Fund
where donations are placed in an investment portfolio to yield additional funds
We are also proud to support the work of exemplary doctors such as Dr. Christo I. Tchervenkov MD, FRSCS and the Pediatric Respiratory Medicine and Cystic Fibrosis Clinic led by Dr. Larry Lands MD, PhD.
* Target ratios, can fluctuate year on year.
Bone Anchored Hearing Aids (BAHA)
A BAHA is used for children and adolescents who are born deaf or have conductive hearing loss. Most patients have a deformed or blocked ear canal, which prevents them from wearing a hearing aid.
Since implanting The Children’s first BAHA in 2003, Dr. Daniel and his team have transformed the lives of hundreds of hearing-impaired children. They were the first group in North America to implant a BAHA in a nonsurgical setting using only local anesthesia on a pediatric patient.
“The gift of hearing does so much for a child’s development. We express our profound gratitude to Andy Collins for Kids for their contribution to this program. Thanks to you, we can offer the sounds of life to children living in silent worlds. Our research allows us to have an impact on children across the globe. Our BAHA program is a true multidisciplinary effort that makes miracles happen.”
Bereavement Box Program
Each year at The Children’s, an average of 70 families experience the trauma of losing a child. This tragic event affects siblings, grandparents, and other close loved ones. It is estimated that up to 480 people will be ultimately impacted by this devastating loss, and the long-term mental health implications can be serious.
“We are deeply grateful to Andy Collins for Kids for their generous funding of The Children’s Memory Boxes. These boxes, which can include a recording of the child’s heartbeat, their handprints, and two-stuffed bereavement bears—one for the child and one for their family to cherish—serve as a lasting connection to their loved one. Thanks to this funding, every family will now receive a memory box, ensuring that all families have access to this invaluable end of life support and legacy building. This thoughtful contribution is making a profound impact by helping to standardize care and bring comfort to grieving families. We sincerely thank you for your meaningful and compassionate gift.”
Parental Presence at Induction
Child Life Services strives to ensure that life remains as normal as possible for children in a hospital setting.
The PPI program, established in 2011 and unique in Quebec, is part of the Hospital’s DNA and is offered to thousands of families every year. PPI prepares patients and their families for an upcoming surgical procedure, and may provide the opportunity for some parents to accompany their child into the operating room.
Music Therapy
Over 200 individual patients at The Children’s experience the healing power of music every year (and thousands of music therapy sessions are provided). Music therapy services are available to patients in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Advanced Care Unit (ACU), HematologyOncology, as well as medical and surgical units.
Donor commitment to this innovative program has allowed it to grow and adapt with the times, particularly during the pandemic.
Featured article: Easing the Pain One Heartbeat at a Time, Chez Nous magazine
“We are very thankful for your support that helps us contribute to improving patients’ hospitalization by promoting self-expression, coping mechanisms and development through music. Patients’ well-being can improve as they find their voice and build on their inner strength to cope with their challenges, and parents find support in navigating through the new realities of their family’s life.”
Dr. Clown (Jovia)
The Dr. Clowns make approximately 100 visits to The Children’s every year, and see up to 4000 patients.*
The therapeutic clowns meet children of all ages, from babies to young children and even teenagers, with the goal to empower patients. Dr. Clowns use various artistic tools (music, dance, storytelling, games, etc.) to provide joy and moments of awakening and gentleness, and they also contribute to improved self-esteem.
*Data based on fiscal year 2019-2020. The program was paused during the pandemic.
Dr. Christo I. Tchervenkov MD, FRSCS
The Mission of the World Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart surgery is to promote the highest quality comprehensive care to all patients with pediatric and/or congenital heart disease, from the fetus to the adult, regardless of the patient's economic means, with emphasis on excellence in education, research and community service.
Executive Director and Founding President of the World Society, Dr. Tchervenkov, is a long-time recipient of support from ACK, and shared his thanks:
“The World Society would like to express profound gratitude for the invaluable support it has received over the years from the Andy Collins for Kids Fund and from the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation. Through the ongoing involvement with the World Society, the Montreal Children’s Hospital continues to be a global leader in the field of Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac Surgery.”
On the Tip of the Toes
On the Tip of the Toes Foundation’s mission is to change the lives of young people aged 14 to 39 who are living with cancer by offering them an opportunity to participate in a therapeutic adventure expedition.
Andy Collins for Kids’ support for this program over the last 21 years has allowed over 25 patients from The Children’s to participate in these adventures.
Trauma Program
There are approximately 5,000 patient visits to the Concussion Clinic per year.
Support for the program:
Trauma prevention brochure: The brochure was printed over 10,000 times and distributed widely to schools, summer camps, sporting associations, community-based pediatricians, family physicians & other health care professionals, CLSCs, community events, municipalities, recreation departments, and the department Public Health.
Car seat training partnership with Batshaw: The Children’s Trauma Centre’s Injury Prevention program regularly trains youth protection workers on the correct usage of car seats. This involves a presentation on the use of car seats followed by a practical session in the cars.
Violence Prevention: Over the last year, The Children’s has seen an increase in teens and youth coming to the Trauma Centre with injuries caused by violence. In response, the injury prevention program developed a list of community resources across the greater Montreal region. This resource list is being used by the Social Services Department to refer teens to a variety of community-based resources with the goal of preventing re-injury amongst this population.
Art Therapy
The Art Therapist, who works in The Children’s Division of Adolescent Medicine, follows roughly 40 to 50 patients per year. She is part of a multidisciplinary team and her input helps professional colleagues, as well as patients and families throughout their medical journey.