supporter spotlight

Donors Making a Difference

Our donors come in many different packages!  Most have a connection to the IWK; all are very important to us.  This is one of the many places where we celebrate supporters' loyalty and dedication to ensuring excellence in specialized care at the IWK.

Matthew MacDonald, Cape Breton

There are as many stories behind donations as the people who make them. Some have a very personal connection to the IWK Health Centre, and 17-year-old Grade 12 student Matthew MacDonald is one of them.

When he was 7 he raised $92 by selling lemonade on the sidewalk outside his Sydney Mines home; when he was 16 he donated more than $13,000 from 28 community projects he organized or inspired in his name. Now 17, Matthew MacDonald, was recently the youngest person to ever be named Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals in Nova Scotia.

Matthew was born with Marfan Syndrome that affects his connective tissues. He has had three major surgeries at the IWK Health Centre, including two open-heart surgeries. With limited mobility, Matthew has lived a life full of physical challenges he always seems to take in stride. Rather than focus on his own situation, he is always putting the needs of others ahead of his own. His dedication shone through in 2009.

Matthew had big plans for 2009, the 25th anniversary of the IWK Telethon. To celebrate the milestone, Matthew publicly declared he would hold 25 fundraisers in Cape Breton in support of the IWK. Not long after, tragedy struck the MacDonald family when Matthew’s dad died in a house fire. Many would have abandoned – or at least postponed - fundraising plans given the circumstances. But not Matthew. With his head held high and his community rallying around him, Matthew surpassed his goal. In June, Matthew presented the IWK with more than $13,000.

His generousity and determination not only helps ensure Maritime families who rely on the IWK receive the best possible care, but touches the lives of countless caregivers across all departments at the IWK who have worked with Matthew his whole life.

"When I think of Matthew MacDonald I smile," says Sharon MacIntyre, Clinical Leader at the IWK Heart Centre. "He is the most engaging, genuine young man that I know.

“Although he has faced many challenges throughout his life he always has a cheery smile and a positive outlook,” she adds. “He is successful in his fundraising efforts for the IWK because he believes one person can make a difference.”