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Thank you for giving Better Futures in 2024

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/01/2025 (342 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

While the start of a new year brings excitement at the thought of all the wonderful moments to come, it also offers us the opportunity to reflect on last year’s achievements, accomplished through the generosity of our donors and sponsors and the hard work of volunteers, community supporters and staff.

Thanks to an astonishing 60,000 donations, 2024 was the year that the Better Futures campaign surpassed its five-year goal of $75 million, reaching an extraordinary $87 million, funding critical infrastructure, life-saving medical equipment and technology, innovative programming, and leading edge pediatric research at Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM).

The Government of Manitoba saw our community’s commitment, and in November, invested $25 million to improve pediatric care at HSC Children’s Hospital, bringing the Better Futures campaign impact to an astounding $112 million.

In February, we celebrated 2023 Champion Child, Pacey Wall who attended more than 40 events to share his story and raised $34,000 to split between HSC Children’s Hospital and CHRIM. Pacey was awarded the 2024 Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy award by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Manitoba chapter for his hard work and dedication.

In March, we welcomed Janessa Dumas Colomb from Mathias Colomb Cree Nation as our 2024 Champion Child. Janessa is the first Champion from a remote northern First Nations community. She received a kidney transplant in 2020 and makes a 12-hour journey to Winnipeg with her family every six to eight weeks for checkups.

Janessa also attended over 20 events to represent the 140,000 kids who need HSC Children’s every year and is raising funds to support the Nephrology Clinic and Hemodialysis Unit.

More than 300 volunteers contributed to the success of our Children’s Hospital Book Market in the spring and fall. In partnership with Keeping Kenzi Close, the Children’s Hospital Foundation Golf Tournament raised more than $270,000 – a new record! Thanks to over 1,000 volunteers, we revived the beloved Teddy Bears’ Picnic for its 35th anniversary. Plus, the Ice Crystal Gala’s Rhinestone Rodeo committee raised a record-breaking $1.5 million!

At the third annual Suspended Superheroes event in October, led by Voyageur Technical, first responders and donors donned costumes and safety harnesses to rappel down the side of HSC Children’s, thrilling kids looking out their windows and raising $50,000.

Throughout the year, kids in hospital also had special visits from AHL player and Hershey Bears captain Dylan McIlrath with the Calder Cup, Heather’s Pretty Parties characters, and players from the Winnipeg Jets, Winnipeg Sea Bears, and Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

With donor support, a framework for the development of the Indigenous Community Healing Space continues to move forward, ensuring First Nations, Métis, and Inuit voices are heard through consultations with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Indigenous community members, and health care leaders.

Thanks to donors’ generosity, CHRIM announced its newest research theme, PROMISE: Pediatric Research in Oncology in Manitoba: Innovation, Science, Excellence, which will help improve the outcomes for children and youth living with cancer.

We’re deeply grateful to our Children’s Miracle Network and Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations partners, like Walmart, The Brick and Costco, whose teams make important asks at the checkout for donations and DQ® Canada’s Miracle Treat Day, which for 22 years has donated 100 per cent of proceeds from every Blizzard® Treat sold at participating locations!

We also thank Manitoba’s Credit Unions for their $250,000 contribution towards the creation of an indoor play space inside the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Unit.

Big bear hugs to Heather and Bob Williams for matching donations of up to $400,000 for surgical needs, Qualico and anonymous donors matching donations on Giving Tuesday to raise more than $254,344 and the Talbot Family Foundation for matching donations at Dr. Goodbear’s Holiday Give-a-thon and throughout the holiday season – all to help kids who need life-saving surgical care.

We packed a lot of good into 2024! We at the Children’s Hospital Foundation are truly grateful for your unwavering commitment to continue caring for kids. We are humbled by your dedication. As we move through 2025 together, let’s make anything possible.

Thank you!

Learn more about your impact at goodbear.ca.