Heart and Stroke Foundation Commits $20 Million to SickKids for Paediatric Heart and Stroke Research

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 25, 2013) - The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) is pleased to announce a funding commitment of $20 million from the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

This is part of an unprecedented national funding announcement made today by the Heart and Stroke Foundation which sees $300 million being committed to 19 health care facilities and research institutions across the country over a 10-year period. These 19 leading research institutions form the newly created Heart and Stroke Foundation Research Leadership Circle.

These funds will support peer-reviewed paediatric heart and stroke research at SickKids. As a partner in the new Research Leadership Circle and a funding recipient, SickKids joins the Heart and Stroke Foundation in its quest to reduce Canadians' rate of death from heart disease and stroke by 25 per cent by 2020.

SickKids has the most productive heart and stroke research group in the world. The Labatt Family Heart Centre at SickKids performs more than 85 per cent of paediatric cardiovascular surgeries in Ontario and handled more than 9,400 patient visits in 2012. The hospital established Canada's first paediatric stroke clinic in 1995.

"The support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation will help us to discover new and innovative ways to prevent and treat heart disease and stroke in children," says Mary Jo Haddad, President and CEO, SickKids. "Healthy hearts and brains mean children can grow to be healthy adults."

The Heart and Stroke Foundation has provided more than $40 million in grants for peer-reviewed research to SickKids scientists over the past 25 years. Over the past five years, it has provided funding to some 30 research projects at the SickKids Research Institute.

"This is a pivotal example of the remarkable impact we can have on advancing children's health when we join together with determination to make a difference," says Ted Garrard, President and CEO, SickKids Foundation. "Collaborating with community partners like Heart and Stroke Foundation enable SickKids to accelerate scientific discoveries and find new treatments for children."

"Simply put, there's an urgent need to save more lives faster and that's why the Foundation has brought together the Research Leadership Circle," said David Sculthorpe, CEO, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. "This $300 million commitment will allow our partners an unprecedented ability to plan major research projects, foster greater collaboration and attract even more of the world's best researchers within and outside of Canada to fight these insidious diseases."

About Heart and Stroke Foundation

The Heart and Stroke Foundation, a volunteer-based health charity, leads in eliminating heart disease and stroke, reducing their impact through preventing disease, saving lives and promoting recovery. Healthy lives free of heart disease and stroke. Together we will make it happen. To learn more about the Research Leadership Circle, visit www.heartandstroke.ca/researchcircle.

About SickKids Foundation

Established in 1972, SickKids Foundation raises funds on behalf of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and is the largest charitable funder of child health research, learning and care in Canada. Philanthropy is a critical source of funding for SickKids -- one of the world's foremost paediatric health-care institutions. For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013, SickKids Foundation made an unprecedented investment of $92.6 million in children's health, a direct result of generous community and corporate support. For more information, please visit www.sickkidsfoundation.com.

About The Hospital for Sick Children

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) is recognized as one of the world's foremost paediatric health-care institutions and is Canada's leading centre dedicated to advancing children's health through the integration of patient care, research and education. Founded in 1875 and affiliated with the University of Toronto, SickKids is one of Canada's most research-intensive hospitals and has generated discoveries that have helped children globally. Its mission is to provide the best in complex and specialized family-centred care; pioneer scientific and clinical advancements; share expertise; foster an academic environment that nurtures health-care professionals; and champion an accessible, comprehensive and sustainable child health system. SickKids is proud of its vision Healthier Children. A Better World. For more information, visit www.sickkids.ca.