CHEO Telethon raises record $12.3 million to support CHEO
Residents of Ottawa, eastern Ontario and western Quebec helped make the 40th CHEO Telethon the biggest one yet, raising a record $12.3 million to support life-saving care and research at the children's hospital.
CHEO President and CEO Alex Munter says the record fundraising total comes as CHEO continues to see an increased demand for its programs and services.
"On behalf of everyone at CHEO….this is amazing. We have a growing number of children, we have increased demand and this help and support from the community means everything to us," Munter said at the end of the CHEO Telethon.
"CHEO is this community's hospital and this telethon is the expression of that. We're just so grateful."
The $12.3 million total was announced at the end of the six-hour CHEO Telethon on CTV Ottawa on Sunday.
"What do you say other than, wow! Think about what we’ll be able to do with that $12 million and all I can say is thank you to everybody involved," CHEO Foundation President and CEO Steve Read said.
The telethon introduced viewers to some of the families who rely on CHEO for care, along with the amazing doctors, nurses and staff who provide care to thousands of children and youth. It was also a chance to celebrate the community's support for CHEO over the past year through dozens of fundraisers and events.
The CHEO Foundation says $600,000 was raised over the past two weeks, while $11.7 million was raised during the year-long campaign that included dozens of events.
Munter says CHEO is now looking to "right-size" the pediatric healthcare system, but it will take a while.
"If you think about a hospital as like a box. We have to do the urgent, emergent stuff. When that expands to fill most of the box, you do not have enough room for all the planned and scheduled activities – the diagnostic imaging, the preventive mental health care, the specialist appointments. So our box is too small and that means kids wait too long, not for the urgent or emergent stuff, but for a specialist appointment, for a development rehabilitation, and so we need a bigger box," Munter said on Sunday.
"That's what we mean by right-sizing the system; more people, more programs and more space. We're in a phase now at CHEO, we call it 'Here We Grow,' where we're going to build a bigger and better CHEO, with the support of the community, to be able to respond more quickly to the needs of kids and families."
Money raised during the CHEO Telethon supports life-saving treatment, the purchase of state-of-the-art medical equipment and research at the children's hospital.
"When people come through the doors looking for care and treatment, there's just about every aspect of that care and every aspect of their treatment that is either funded by or enhanced by the community's support," Read said.
"Equipment is not funded by the province, so the community is helping us buy the specialized pediatric equipment that we need so badly. But there's also so many of the great programs; the things that make CHEO go from an OK hospital to a great hospital."
The CHEO Foundation says the CHEO Telethon is a great opportunity to showcase how the community supports the hospital through the year.
"This is such a wonderful opportunity for us to recognize and acknowledge and thank all the wonderful support we get from the community all year long," Read said.
"We live in a great community. All day long, we've seen some of the small businesses, large businesses, school groups, service clubs, all kinds of folks – these are the folks that are putting on golf tournaments and galas and backyard barbecues and supporting us in whatever way they can over the course of the year."
Last year's CHEO Telethon raised $11.8 million to support CHEO.
To learn more of the CHEO Telethon and meet the six CHEO children and their families profiled during the telethon, visit cheotelethon.com.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police investigating shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Quebec to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.