Toronto (Nov. 1, 2013) - As a final push for her Give2Live Fundraising Campaign in partnership with University Health Network and Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation, a cross-country rail tour with Hélène Campbell begins in Toronto on Tuesday, November 5th. Campaign stops include Winnipeg, Edmonton & Vancouver, homes to major multi-organ transplant centres, with community fundraising events scheduled at each stop.
Toronto: Tuesday, November 5 at 10:00 pm: Hélène Campbell departs on VIA Train No. 1 for Winnipeg
Winnipeg: Thursday, November 7 at 10:15 am: Coffee Break Boot Camp at 201 Portage Avenue. The event will be led by local fitness instructor, Brian Forsythe.
Edmonton: Friday, November 8 at 11:45 am: Luncheon and Tour: Alberta Health Services, Kaye Edmonton Clinic 11400 University Ave.
Vancouver: Tuesday, November 12, 11:30 am – 2:00 pm: Luncheon and Tour, Vancouver General Hospital
VIA Rail is generously sponsoring Hélène Campbell's rail travel.
In April 2013, Hélène Campbell announced the launch of Give2Live Fundraising Campaign, a social media effort that uses crowd funding to support the needs of those waiting for transplants throughout Canada. "Many patients waiting for an organ transplant at Toronto General Hospital and other transplant centres are required to live within two hours of the hospital," said Ms. Campbell. "More often than not, this means uprooting from their home and finding new housing along with paying for medical equipment, food and transportation while they wait for a transplant. As you can imagine the cost to do all this can be overwhelming, at a time when their health is not the best and they are not working. Usually, this means that a friend or family member must also stop working and wait for the call."
In launching the Campaign, Ms. Campbell's goal is to help patients and their families who are waiting for an organ transplant and are living within the two-hour zone of a transplant centre.
Ms. Campbell received her lung transplant at Toronto General Hospital in April 2012. She developed a significant public following through her personal blog and by engaging celebrities such as Justin Bieber and Ellen DeGeneres through social media. In February 2013, she appeared in-person on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Funds raised through the Campaign will help cover the cost of food, pay for accommodations and transportation, and buy non-medical supplies - things that may not be fully covered by our healthcare system. Out-of-pocket cost for a patient on the transplant waiting list can be as high as $10,000. www.give2live.ca
About Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation
Established in 1986, Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation is dedicated to supporting excellence in health care by raising funds for research, medical education, and the improvement of patient care at University Health Network,
