Supported Charities
2017
Sick Kids’ Hospital for Sick Children – Cardiac Research
Why Sick Kids?
One of the many specialists that we consulted with was a lead physician within the cardiac department at SickKids’. She was kind, considerate and walked us through every single answer to our million questions with patience and grace. Ultimately, comforting us when the realization of what was happening sunk in. Medicine has come so far in its abilities to save lives and with continued support and research it may be able to help many more.
Camp Erin (Dr. Jay Children’s Grief Center)
Why Camp Erin?
Camp Erin Toronto is a weekend-long overnight bereavement camp in Muskoka for children and teens in the Greater Toronto area. The camp finds grieving children through various community agencies—most notably the Dr. Jay Children’s Grief Centre—and combines traditional outdoor camp activities, such as swimming and canoeing with grief education and emotional support activities, such as journal making and a candlelight memorial ceremony.
Cuddle Cots
Why Cuddle Cots?
Funds raised by the Olive Harper Foundation in 2017 will go towards the purchase of Cuddle Cots for local hospitals.
Flexmort’s CuddleCot has been internationally recognised across the world as significantly helping parents who suffer the loss of a baby. Dealing with the death of a baby is clearly an incredibly difficult event for parents and bereaved parents should be given the option of spending Time with their baby. Providing families Time through the use of the CuddleCot is internationally encouraged by midwives, bereavement practitioners, still birth/neonatal charities, and academics.
2016
Emily’s House
Why Emily’s House?
Had Olive survived to full term, her heart defect was so severe that surgery was not an option. We were told several times that any care post birth would be palliative. While researching what palliative care options were available to infants, we came across Emily’s House, the first Pediatric Palliative Care Hospice in Toronto, and 6th in Canada.
Although we were not able to experience their care first hand, a dear friend’s daughter, Kiera, was able to find comfort there during her final days.
Sick Kids’ Hospital for Sick Children – Cardiac Research
Why Sick Kids?
One of the many specialists that we consulted with was a lead physician within the cardiac department at SickKids’. She was kind, considerate and walked us through every single answer to our million questions with patience and grace. Ultimately, comforting us when the realization of what was happening sunk in. Medicine has come so far in its abilities to save lives and with continued support and research it may be able to help many more.
Gabriel’s Gift
Why Gabriel’s Gift?
Written by Jennifer Crozier, Founder of Gabriel’s Gift
Our son, Gabriel, was born an angel due to a cord accident at 36 weeks. We delivered him at St. Michael’s Hospital on July 17th, 2015. We held him and said hello and goodbye. Our time with Gabriel was too short. We tried to memorize his perfect body. We took pictures and a lock of hair. But it was not enough. We left the hospital empty and broken holding only our memories of Gabriel. Gabriel’s Gift was born out of a desire to give other families of stillborn or neonatal death the opportunity to make as many memories and keepsakes as possible, and give them information and support as they grieve.