About
In 1875, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) opened its doors “for the admission and treatment of all sick children.” From that original eleven-room house in Toronto, SickKids has been moved and rebuilt many times, but it’s always remained committed to that original vision. A hub of innovative research and compassionate care, SickKids is now one of the most esteemed paediatric hospitals in the world.
To help the hospital advance its goal of improving child heath, SickKids Foundation was established in 1972. This is our mission:
- To re-imagine the SickKids campus, with a state-of-the-art hospital and patient support building to accommodate the best care that medicine can offer
- To continue breakthrough research, so we can turn today’s discoveries into tomorrow’s cures
- To partner for better care, so we can share SickKids expertise with the world
All of this is within reach, but not without your help.
That’s because we’ve always relied on our donor community to drive innovation and improve care. So, as we march towards tomorrow—and a brighter future for children everywhere—that support will be more important than ever before.
Our Impact
SickKids treats everything from broken arms to rare cancers. Each year, we treat about 150,000 patients with world-class care, while our scientists pursue breakthroughs.
Canadian Impact
For many Canadian children requiring specialized care, SickKids is their only option.
- SickKids performs more than half of all Canadian paediatric transplants
- SickKids performs the largest volume of complex neonatal surgeries in Ontario
- SickKids is one of the largest mental health providers in Ontario
Global Impact
While our hospital is in Canada, our impact is global.
- Through the Herbie Fund, 800+ patients from over 100 countries have visited for lifechanging surgeries
- AboutKidsHealth, our online resource, ensures anyone can access SickKids expertise
- Each year, SickKids trains more than 300 fellows from about 60 countries
Research Impact
SickKids is Canada’s most research-intensive children’s hospital, leading groundbreaking studies with global implications.
- In 1989, SickKids researchers discovered the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis
- In 2009, a team at SickKids and Mount Sinai were the first to successfully perform a “life-saving heart procedure on a fetus inside her mother’s womb”
- In 2021, SickKids scientist Dr. Julien published a landmark study in Nature Communications, outlining the potential of his team’s antibody supermolecule built to neutralize SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID-19
