SickKids Foundation Launches the World's Largest Paediatric Health Care Campaign to Accelerate Precision Child Health

With more than $1.03 billion in commitments to date, landmark Heal the Future campaign will raise $2.5 billion to transform children's health

TORONTO, Nov. 2, 2026 /CNW/ -- Today, SickKids Foundation announces the launch of Heal the Future, a historic, record-breaking $2.5 billion fundraising campaign that will accelerate Precision Child Health and help SickKids lead the next era of paediatric care. Standing as the largest paediatric health care fundraising campaign in the world – for the number one children's hospital in the world – Heal the Future will move precision medicine from possibility towards reality for every patient and every family.

In anticipation of today's public launch, more than $1.03 billion in donations and pledges has already been committed since the quiet phase of the Campaign began on April 1, 2023. This monumental milestone was raised by corporate partners, community organizations, events, monthly donors, individuals and family foundations, estates and transformational donors, reflecting the dedication and generosity of the donor community.

To date, 134 donors have made catalytic commitments of $1 million or more to the Campaign, representing a collective $351 million, helping lay the groundwork for the next 150 years of SickKids. Known collectively as TheNext150, this group of individuals and families, foundations, corporate partners, community event organizers, and estates is making a transformative investment in the future of children's health, helping advance the bold vision of Precision Child Health and shape what is possible for generations to come. For the full list of TheNext150 donors, click here.

This next chapter builds on the extraordinary legacy of transformational donors whose vision and generosity have created the foundation for today's ambitions. Their investments have fuelled SickKids to think bigger, reach further, and pursue what once seemed impossible for children's health. These families have each committed more than $50 million to SickKids Foundation: Peter Gilgan Foundation, The Azrieli Foundation, Myron and Berna Garron, Garry Hurvitz Foundation, J.P. Bickell Foundation, Arthur and Sonia Labatt and The Rogers Foundation.

The future of paediatric health care is at a crossroads, and modern medicine demands more than the traditional, one-size-fits-all approach that has characterized evidence-based clinical care for generations. By focusing deeply on what makes each patient who they are - from their postal code to their genetic code - Precision Child Health tailors care to every child's unique biology, genetics, and environment. Funds raised from this unprecedented campaign will help accelerate SickKids' ambition to redefine paediatric care for children and families in Canada and around the world.

The profound potential of Precision Child Health aspires to achieve three major pillars:

• Diagnose Faster: Shorten the time between a patient's onset of symptoms and receiving a definitive diagnosis, providing a quicker path to answers for families.
• Treat Smarter: Reduce side effects, adverse reactions, and relapses by targeting underlying causes, ensuring more patients benefit from new therapies and medical devices.
• Predict Better: See what is coming more clearly while there is time to prevent it or reduce its severity, allowing the clinical team to plan the most effective strategy to fight a child's illness.

A Campaign Cabinet, composed of 41 dedicated business and community leaders, alongside a first-of-its-kind Youth Cabinet of 10 members will serve in a volunteer capacity to help lead the charge on spreading awareness and achieving this ambitious fundraising goal. The Campaign Cabinet is led by volunteer Co-Chairs, Jordan Gnat, Claudette McGowan, Michael Medline and Walied Soliman and honorary Co-Chairs, Patsy Anderson and Jim Pitblado.

To mark the launch of this Campaign, SickKids is unveiling I See You, a groundbreaking immersive theatre experience created in partnership with leading Canadian theatre innovators Outside the March, The Musical Stage Company, and Crow's Theatre. The stories shared throughout this immersive experience reflect the promise of Precision Child Health and demonstrate how individualized care can transform outcomes for children and youth to create healthier futures for generations to come. Visit SickKidsISeeYou.ca to enter the contest for tickets to the upcoming public performance on November 20, 2026.

Quotes:
"At SickKids, we believe that when we truly see each child as an individual, everything changes, which is why we are pushing past the limits of one-size-fits-all medicine to focus deeply on what makes each patient who they are. Precision Child Health represents next-generation care, for the next generation, and this historic Campaign will ensure we deliver on that promise." – Dr. Ronald Cohn, President & CEO, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)

"We are funding the fight for a better tomorrow and calling on our incredible community of donors and supporters to help us build the momentum needed to achieve our goal. The stakes have never been higher, but neither has the opportunity before us. Together, we have the power to ensure SickKids can continue to provide the best-in-class care it's known for globally." – Jennifer Bernard, President & CEO, SickKids Foundation

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, enabling it to remain one of the world's foremost paediatric health-care institutions. Thanks to the generosity of the community, SickKids Foundation raised $1.7 billion from 1.3 million donors in its SickKids

VS: Limits Campaign which ended in March 2023. To learn more about the Heal the Future campaign, please visit HealtheFuture.ca.

About The Hospital for Sick Children
The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has been changing the game for paediatric health care since it became the first children's hospital in Canada in 1875. 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 care; promote a culture centred around patient and family experience; pioneer scientific and clinical advancements; foster an academic environment that nurtures health-care professionals; and champion an accessible, comprehensive and sustainable child health system. In 2026, for the second year in a row, SickKids was named the world's best children's health-care centre by Newsweek and Statista. On the heels of celebrating its 150 years of excellence in children's health, SickKids continues to advance Precision Child Health, its groundbreaking movement to deliver individualized care, including responsibly using artificial intelligence to improve clinical care and research. SickKids is proud of its vision for Healthier Children. A Better World. For more information, please visit SickKids.ca or SickKids' Instagram, LinkedIn, X or YouTube.

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SOURCE SickKids Foundation