Children in hospital over the holidays received in kind gifts

Along with a number of donations recognized in our last edition of 2010, we would like to acknowledge a number of other generous groups who donated toys for children staying in hospital.

A delegation of members of Our Lady of Lebanon parish visited RVAP to make a large donation of gifts from the congregation.This annual donation was a special event for Roy Houkayem, among the group who came to the hospital for the event. He described his memories of being at the hospital for his appendix over the Christmas holiday as a young child, about 10 years ago. Now 18, he remembers the lasting impact it made on him to receive a toy during his stay. Today he is very pleased to give back, he said.

Also of note, Follow the Sun tanning salon and Aeropostale presented gifts of toys and teddy bears to the Foundation to distribute to children in the hospital. Aeropostale in the Pickering Town Centre donated teddy bears with red hoods.

All of the donations were shared between hospital departments such as emergency,surgical, fracture clinic, laboratory and paediatrics. Our thanks to all of those who made toy and game donations to the children of our hospitals this past holiday season.

Walk This Way with heart

Business suits and running shoes were the track uniforms on Friday, September 17, when Rouge Valley Centenary hosted Walk this Way, an event to officially launch the newly-rubberized cardiac rehabilitation track. The track's new coating was one of many enhancements made possible thanks to contributions from the annual Walk with Heart walkathon.

Walk this Way opened with speeches from those who were both on the track and behind it, sharing their stories of how they became involved and why they remain committed to its services. Speaking on behalf of RVHS and the cardiac care program were Jay Kaufman, board chair; Bernard Johnson, manager of cardiac diagnostics and cardiac rehabilitation; Dr. Joseph Ricci, medical director of cardiac services; and Bryna Rabishaw, program director of cardiac and critical care programs. Community leaders voiced their encouragement. John McKay, MP, Scarborough-Guildwood; Margarett Best, MPP, Scarborough-Guildwood and Minister of Health Promotion and Sports, and Toronto city councillors Paul Ainslie and Ron Moeser congratulated the hospital and the program on this investment for a healthy community.

Thanks to everyone who came to the event, supported the program, volunteered or directed its enhancements over the years. Knowing they have your support makes each step easier for our patients.

To see more photos from this event, click here.