Registration now open for third annual RBC Run for the Kids
TORONTO, April 23, 2015 /CNW/ - Today Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
and RBC launched the third annual RBC Run for the Kids, taking place at Mel Lastman Square in Toronto on Saturday, September
19, 2015. As the third largest running event of its kind in the Greater
Toronto Area, registration is now open and competitors have a choice of
completing a 5K walk/run, a 7K run or a 15K run.
In just two years, the event has raised more than $3 million for the Family Navigation Project at Sunnybrook. Initiated by parents, the Project assists families of
young people who are struggling with mental health and/or addiction
issues navigate through the health care system to find the help they
need. It is the first program of its kind in Canada.
"Parents have told us for many years how complicated it can be to access
care for their adolescent children with mental health or addiction
issues," said Dr. Anthony Levitt, medical director of the Family
Navigation Project and chief of the Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program at
Sunnybrook. "They wanted us to develop a service that would match the
needs of the youth and their families with the right professional or
program in a timely manner. That's why we created the Family Navigation
Project and during the first two years, we have already helped hundreds
of families find the care they need, when they need it."
As many as two million Canadian youth struggle with mental health or
addiction issues, but only one in five receives specialized treatment.
Since its inception in late 2013, the Family Navigation Project has
helped more than 600 families open the door to recovery.
"In a short time, the Family Navigation Project has proven to be a
tremendous resource for families in providing much needed support,
tools and assistance while improving and potentially saving lives,"
said Jamie Anderson, deputy chair, RBC Capital Markets and executive
champion of the RBC Children's Mental Health Project. "We are excited
to see thousands of employees, their family and friends as well as avid
runners participate in the RBC Run for the Kids, which helps fund the
Project."
RBC has provided more than $25 million through its Children's Mental
Health Project to support over 360 organizations dedicated to providing
early intervention, increasing public awareness and reducing the stigma
of mental illness. The Project is part of RBC's Kids Pledge - a
five-year, $100 million dollar commitment to improve the well-being of
kids and youth in Canada.
Visit rbcrunforthekids.ca to register and for complete run details. To learn more about the Family Navigation Project at Sunnybrook.
About Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is inventing the future of health care
for the 1.2 million patients the hospital cares for each year through
the dedication of its more than 13,000 staff, students and volunteers.
An internationally recognized leader in research and education and a
full affiliation with the University of Toronto distinguishes
Sunnybrook as one of Canada's premier academic health sciences centres.
Sunnybrook specializes in caring for high-risk pregnancies,
critically-ill newborns and adults, offering specialized rehabilitation
and treating and preventing cancer, cardiovascular disease,
neurological and psychiatric disorders, orthopaedic and arthritic
conditions and traumatic injuries. The Hospital also has a unique and
national leading program for the care of Canada's war veterans. For
more information about how Sunnybrook is inventing the future of health
care please visit us online at www.sunnybrook.ca.
About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is Canada's largest bank, and one of the largest
banks in the world, based on market capitalization. We are one of North
America's leading diversified financial services companies, and provide
personal and commercial banking, wealth management, insurance, investor
services and capital markets products and services on a global basis.
We employ approximately 78,000 full- and part-time employees who serve
more than 16 million personal, business, public sector and
institutional clients through offices in Canada, the U.S. and 39 other
countries. For more information, please visit rbc.com.
RBC supports a broad range of community initiatives through donations,
sponsorships and employee volunteer activities. In 2014, we contributed
more than $111 million to causes worldwide, including donations and
community investments of more than $76 million and $35 million in
sponsorships.
SOURCE Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
