Foundation’s gala was among first of events in BC to postpone in March 2020, days before lockdown

Vancouver, B.C., May 10, 2022 – BC Children’s Hospital Foundation welcomes the return of its 25^th Annual For Children We Care Gala on May 29, 2022, after its postponement was announced more than two years ago. It will be the Foundation’s first fully in-person gala since the start of the pandemic.

On March 5, 2020, For Children We Care was among the first of major events in BC to announce its postponement in light of the growing pandemic, just days before the province-wide lockdown. While it was unknown at the time that the postponement would last over two years, the For Children We Care community, led by gala co-chairs Jane Young and Susan Chow, continued to press ahead in creative and innovative ways to virtually fundraise for the critical needs of BC Children’s Hospital.

In its early years, the For Children We Care Gala was made possible through the leadership of the Chinese community here in BC, which has raised more than $21 million for BC Children’s Hospital since its inception in 1995. Since then, it has grown to become something much larger—as a community-wide effort to help provide children with the best health care imaginable.

The 25th anniversary of this event on May 29 will be a celebration of the gala community’s leadership and impact, building on what it’s accomplished, and pursuing new possibilities.

“I am incredibly inspired by the commitment of the For Children We Care community, which has not let the pandemic stop them from continuing to make a difference in the lives of children in BC and around the world,” says Malcolm Berry, President & CEO of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. “Their unwavering dedication means that two years after starting our campaign to raise $5 million for global orthopedics research and equipment, we are poised to reach the finish line together at this year’s gala. I’m deeply grateful for the ways this community continues to build on their quarter-century legacy of transforming health care for children.”

The funds that For Children We Care supporters have been raising will expand global clinical outcomes research into a range of serious and chronic orthopedic conditions, including life-impacting spine, hip and limb conditions as well as serious sports-related injuries—conditions that prevent many kids from walking, standing, moving or even breathing properly. World-leading orthopedic experts at BC Children’s Hospital offer these kids hope. During the pandemic, they’ve continued advancing this important work, as they recognize that children with these serious conditions cannot wait for better treatments that could change their lives.

“Children with traumatic injuries and mobility-related conditions like cerebral palsy and early-onset scoliosis face enormous challenges that forever alter their lives. The outcomes of their treatments will determine the difference between a lifetime of physical pain and mobility challenges, or a life free of these chronic difficulties,” says Dr. Christopher Reilly, head of orthopedics at BC Children’s Hospital. “Expanding our global clinical outcomes research program will help us more quickly identify the best treatments for children here in BC and around the globe who need answers—and the support of For Children We Care has been critical for this.”

About BC Children’s Hospital Foundation

BC Children’s Hospital is the only hospital in the province devoted exclusively to the care of children and youth. It’s one of the few pediatric medical and teaching facilities in Canada with an acute care centre, research institute, mental health facility, and rehabilitation centre all in one place. BC Children’s provides specialized care, innovative therapies, and pediatric expertise for BC’s kids, including the sickest and most seriously injured. At BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, we raise funds to provide kids with excellence in health care by continuously driving advancements provincially and globally. The generosity of donors fuels our ability to conquer childhood diseases, prevent illness and injury, and prioritize the unique needs of kids in every aspect of their care. Follow us at @bcchf or visit bcchf.ca for more information.