FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Halifax, N.S. (Sept. 23, 2023) – Maritimers from across the region came together today during the 39th IWK Telethon for Children on CTV, pledging a record-breaking $7,045,323.83 in support of the IWK. This year’s Telethon theme was Stronger Than You Know, dedicated to the strength and resilience of IWK patient families.
“We are so grateful for the continued support of our community. From our donors, sponsors, organizations and individuals who actively fundraise for Telethon, to the IWK care teams and patient families, it is the community that makes Telethon a success year after year,” said Jennifer Gillivan, President & CEO, IWK Foundation.
The IWK Telethon is a 39-year Maritime tradition that takes place the first weekend of June every year. This year, the IWK Telethon was rescheduled from June to September due to devastating wildfires throughout the region.
“Thank you to our broadcast partners CTV Atlantic and Bell Media for working alongside us to make Telethon 39 a reality. With their dedication, we proudly continued the important Maritime tradition of Telethon, sharing inspirational stories from IWK patient families while celebrating our generous donors.”
The IWK Telethon is the IWK’s largest annual fundraiser and supports the most urgent priorities at the IWK, including equipment, education, research and innovation. Donors to Telethon 39 helped purchase many essential pieces of equipment for comfort and critical care, such as syringe infusion pumps for the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Syringe infusion pumps are crucial to patient safety as they deliver small volumes of medication, fluids, or nutrition to pediatric patients in a precise, controlled manner. Medication delivered through these pumps are often lifesaving, maintaining blood pressure and heart function in critically ill children.
IWK patients and families from every corner of the region shared their inspiring stories during the broadcast. One of those stories was Ellis of Prince Edward Island. At just 15 days old, Ellis was referred to the IWK Orthopedic Clinic and later diagnosed with a rare and inherited muscle disease. Now eight years old, Ellis continues to visit the IWK every six weeks for care.
“CTV is grateful for our partnership with the IWK Foundation, allowing us to bring these powerful stories to our viewers”, says Trent McGrath, General Manager, CTV Atlantic. “We know the work at the IWK is life-saving but to see the effect this care has on patients and families – it’s so impactful. We want to thank our Maritime community for their continued generosity and support of Telethon.”
“Thousands of children, youth and families throughout the Maritimes depend on the IWK for specialized and critical care. Our Telethon supporters ensure that this exceptional care is possible here at home,” said Gillivan. "We look forward to celebrating our community and building on this year's tremendous success at our milestone Telethon 40."
Donations to the IWK Foundation can be made by calling 1-800-595-2266 or visiting www.iwkfoundation.org.
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About the IWK Foundation
The IWK Foundation is a champion of excellence in women's and children's health and medicine and works in partnership with IWK Health to support their vision of providing quality care to women, children, youth and families in the Maritime Provinces and beyond. Our donors are passionately committed to making a difference for Maritime families, contributing more than $18 million in support of the most urgent care priorities at the IWK last year. Funds raised also support the IWK's global leadership in research and knowledge sharing, which in turn improves lives worldwide. Visit www.iwkfoundation.org for more information.
About CTV News
CTV News is Canada’s most-watched news organization both locally and nationally, and has a network of national, international, and local news operations. CTV News operations include CTV NEWS CHANNEL, BNN Bloomberg, CP24, and information programming, including CTV NATIONAL NEWS, W5, POWER PLAY, and QUESTION PERIOD. Flagship news sites include CTVNews.ca, as well as CP24.com and BNNBloomberg.ca, and are complemented by the CTV News, CP24, and BNN Bloomberg apps, which provide a direct connection to Canada’s most trusted news anytime and anywhere. With a perspective that is distinctly Canadian, CTV News brings Canadians the international and domestic news stories of the day and is the #1 news organization in Canada.
Media Contact:
Lesley Gaum
Director, Communications & Public Affairs
IWK Foundation
P: 902-489-2867
lesley.gaum@iwkfoundation.org