Stroll & Dash is back ! Following the success of last year, Stroll & Dash will once again take place outdoors in the beautiful Danyluk Park in Town of Mount-Royal. Join us for this Family FUN Day in honour of the heroes on Sarah’s Floor.
Stroll & Dash is the signature event for Sarah’s Fund for Cedars that raises critical funds for the needs of young cancer patients who are hospitalized on Sarah’s Floor. Already $4 million has been raised through Stroll & Dash — a special event where the heroes on Sarah’s Floor, corporations, students, friends & family members take part in family friendly activities such as walking and running for this important cause.
These courageous young patients deserve the kind of support that reflects a community’s commitment to excellence and innovation; that says “we understand what you’re going through and we’re going to ensure you’re as comfortable as possible”; that brings unicorns, rainbows and smiles into their rooms despite the hardships they and their families are facing. We have our eyes set on rainbows, unicorns and smiles so please help us Go Beyond for cancer patients at the Montreal Children’s Hospital!
Sarah’s Fund for Cedars was started in 2001 by Sarah Cook, an eight-year-old girl battling Ewing’s Sarcoma who was determined to make it a little easier for the other children on the floor by buying new pillows.
For over 22 years, Sarah’s Fund has gained momentum and continues to support the efforts of the professionals who make a positive difference in the lives of hundreds of children and their families every year. The fund supports the pressing needs of the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Division by providing the best care to improve the quality of life for young cancer patients on Sarah’s Floor, at the Montreal Children’s Hospital.
Sarah’s Floor, the Hematology-Oncology In-Patient Ward serves critically ill patients who suffer from cancer and leukemia. These young patients have specific needs and often experience long-term hospital stays, which can be difficult and stressful.
Thanks to the enthusiastic giving of our Montreal community corporations and through special events, Sarah’s Fund for Cedars has raised $14 million. The Fund addresses the pressing needs on Sarah’s Floor, with positive results including:
This program was created to aid the families who are in need of financial assistance due to the stresses that a child’s illness can place on a family. Sarah’s Fund provides the families with essential needs such as, meal tickets, parking passes, transportation for medical needs and accommodations for families living in regions outside Quebec. This initiative allows families to focus on the care, well being and treatments of their child.
This program provides young cancer patients with an opportunity for social and sensory interaction with therapeutic animals in the hospital setting. Sarah's Fund contributes towards helping reduce stress and aims to provide added support to the healing and quality of life, to the young cancer patients on Sarah's Floor.
This program provides clowns who bring smiles and joy to young cancer patients on Sarah’s Floor. These therapeutic clowns, Dr. Fifi and Dr. Pedalo, help to relieve the stress of hospitalization by transporting the patient into a world of imagination and therapeutic play.
This program offers music therapists who use elements of music such as rhythm, melody and harmony to promote, maintain and restore physical, emotional and spiritual health. On Sarah’s Floor, the oncology-hematology in patient unit, this music health care environment helps the patient healing process.
Nurses are at the heart of every hospital. Investing in nursing education allows the dedicated Hematology-Oncology nursing team to be at the forefront of their profession by staying abreast of best practices and to offer the highest possible standard of care to the young cancer patients.
This program offers free access to the premium Wi-Fi service on Sarah’s Floor. This service has an enormous impact on patients and families especially during the isolation required due to Covid-19. Kids on Sarah’s Floor can keep up with their studies, communicate with friends and family and enjoy premium entertainment, and their parents do not have to worry the impact on their own data packages. During a long hospital stay, this is a precious gift for everyone.
The C17 program provides invaluable oversight of academic clinical trials, as well as platforms and resources to share the best practices across the country. The C17 program has developed a website for families called U-Link. Care- to help search for early phase clinical trials in Canada and financial/ logistical support, especially if the trial is out-of-province. Sarah’s Fund is proud to support C17 which offer the best trial opportunities for our patients. on Sarah’s Floor.
The PROFYLE project involves the genomic sequencing of hard-to-treat tumours. The hope is that we will find an actionable mutation in the tumour that can be targeted by a drug -also referred to as “precision medicine”. This initiative allows us to explore different avenues to better understand and find new ways to follow and treat devastating tumours in children and young adult.
The C.A.R.E. project will increase resources in order to address the unique psychological needs of Hematology-Oncology patients and their families on Sarah’s Floor. This initiative will improve access to sustained and timely psychotherapeutic intervention to a larger number of children and adolescent receiving treatment. This program will offer psychoeducational / supportive group intervention for parents of children receiving care in the Hematology-Oncology division.
Pavillon Caramel is there to help families during critical times. The new facility will house parents of sick children facing long stays at The Montreal Children’s Hospital. Pavillon Caramel will offer all of the comforts of home, only steps away from the Glen site, at no cost. It will allow parents to rest and stay close to their sick child: A dream that is about to come true and Sarah’s Fund is proud to sponsor this great initiative.
We are 22!
I can’t believe this year is our 22nd Anniversary for Stroll and Dash. And we are back to being an in person event! I can’t wait to see you all!
The 22nd year is a perfect year to start anew, therefore I’m excited that this year’s event will be outside. I am looking forward to making most of the fresh air and fun, and enjoy what is always one of my favourite events of the year!
When I was eight years old, my dream was to buy new pillows for everyone being treated for cancer at the Montreal Children’s Hospital. And, thanks to everyone in the Montreal community, we’ve been able to go above and beyond my wildest dreams. Your ongoing support has meant that Stroll and Dash has raised funds to support the renovation of the entire Montreal Children’s in-patient oncology ward, now named Sarah’s Floor. We have also helped guarantee that all the programs offered on the floor like pet therapy, music therapy, continuing education for nurses and many others, continue yearly. Our mission has always been to help patients and families through one of the most difficult times in their lives. Going through cancer is difficult enough as it is, so Sarah’s Fund is here to think about the little things, and help make sure our children on Sarah’s Floor still feel like kids.
In that same spirit, some of the funds from last year and this year’s event will, in addition to the programs on the Floor, also support the launch of a new program that helps bridge the transition from pediatric care offered at the Montreal Children’s to the adult sites by addressing both physical and emotional needs.
As the fund reaches its stage as a young adult, we have grown as our patients have, and have realized this age range require other needs. Having relapsed as a young adult myself, I know how difficult it is to navigate becoming an adult, while also having to navigate the complexities of my health needs. The Jackie Aziz AYA program will help address those needs and help bridge the gap for these young adults. This program has been a dream for my family and me for quite some time and with the Aziz family we are looking forward to the numerous families we are going to be able to help.
Sarah’s Fund’s goal over 2 years was $1 million and we’ve almost reached it, but we need your help and continued support.
Every year, I’m so proud of what we as a community are able to accomplish. I’m really looking forward to seeing new and old faces as we continue to make big and small differences to people’s daily lives in their times of need. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who is participating, your contribution matters to the lives of many.
I can’t wait to see everyone on the 1st October in Town of Mount Royal!
Sarah Cook, Founder of Sarah’s Fund for Cedars and Stroll & Dash
