Kids can face many unknowns at a hospital, such as unfamiliar procedures, needles used in blood tests and immunizations, and massive pieces of equipment. But by learning how to cope with their fears, they can improve management of their anxiety and make a positive difference to their hospital experiences and overall well-being. That’s why Dr. Theresa Newlove, head of the psychology department, Dr. Chris Petersen, director of technology development, and a team of researchers at BC Children’s Hospital developed the Belly Breath app.

If a child has a serious asthma attack or breaks a bone, parents know exactly where to go for help. But when it comes to depression, anxiety or an array of other conditions that affect the mental health of children, knowing where to turn can be difficult. And often, the confusion and stigma surrounding mental health prevents many from seeking help in the first place. The result? Of the 84,000 children and youth experiencing mental health conditions in the province, a staggering 70 per cent aren’t getting the specialized care they need.

Growing up, the Kronier family’s four sisters—Lorraine, Linda, Carolyn and Kim—always saw generosity modeled by their mother, Betty Kronier. She was the one who had juice and cookies ready for the kids on their block, who helped create a Halloween costume for a neighbour’s child who didn’t have one, and who regularly invited guests to join their dinner table at home.

Ali Pejman, a long-time supporter of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation—along with his family—is supporting ground-breaking epilepsy genomics research at BC Children’s Hospital.

It started off early one morning at a downtown coffee shop. Two commercial fishermen met by accident and decided to sell herring to help children being treated for cancer at BC Children’s Hospital.

Jeff Hanman, Vice President, Corporate Affairs at Teck Resources, has supported BC Children’s Hospital Foundation for the past several years as the Chair of Miracle Weekend’s Mining for Miracles Committee. This year, he is continuing to make a difference for BC’s kids as the 2019 Miracle Weekend Chair.

Your legacy—it’s your chance to create lasting impact with generations to come, and to give them the best possible future. But choosing where, how and to whom to give is an important decision that requires careful thought. You want to provide your best to your family—but you are also inspired to help kids who need the best health care possible. With legacy giving, you don’t have to choose.

Jennifer Leung is a professional tax planner and a member of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation’s Chinese-Canadian Planned Gift Committee. We sat down with her to get her insights on how families can best use legacy giving to increase impact for future generations.

Tonight, leaders from B.C.’s Chinese-Canadian community came together to raise a record $4,126,888 at the 24th annual For Children We Care gala, presented by Peterson, in support of BC Children’s Hospital (BC Children’s). Close to 800 guests attended this spectacular, French Renaissance-inspired signature event.

Through the continuous support of donors, BC Children’s Hospital has been able to make incredible progress over the years. Two remarkable groups, who reached monumental milestones, are Mining for Miracles and Balding for Dollars.