2018 RBC Race for the Kids raises $2.4 million for Sunnybrook's Family Navigation Project
TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2018
/CNW/ - More than 9,500 Torontonians supported youth mental health
raising $2.4 million at the sixth
annual RBC Race for the Kids. The event supports the Family
Navigation Project at Sunnybrook,
a unique program connecting families of youth with mental illness
and/or addictions to the specialized services they
need.
Quick Facts
- The RBC Race for the Kids, which includes a 5K walk/run, a 7K
run and a 15K run, has attracted more
than 46,500 participants and raised a total of $12 million for the Family Navigation Project
(FNP) at Sunnybrook since
2013.
- FNP was founded by Sunnybrook
psychiatrist Dr. Anthony Levitt and
a group of parents who experienced challenges navigating the
complex mental health-care system for their children.
- FNP partners youth (ages 13 to 26) and families with clinically
trained professionals who conduct assessments, analyze needs and
provide navigation of the health-care and social service
system.
- In the first year of the FNP, 125 families were served. This
number will grow to approximately 900 families in 2018. To date,
FNP has helped to change the lives of more than 2,500 families
since 2013.
- An FNP survey confirms the growing need for mental health
navigation services. Nearly one-third of Ontario families are caring for at least one
youth with mental illness and/or addiction.
Quotes
- "There is a growing and enormous need for FNP's innovative
navigation model and, thanks to the generosity of RBC and the
thousands of Race participants, we are able to have a positive
impact on even more youth and their families every year," said Dr.
Anthony Levitt, Medical Director of
the Family Navigation Project and Chief of the Hurvitz Brain
Sciences Program at Sunnybrook.
"We are delighted to work with RBC – they are an enthusiastic
partner with a passionate commitment to youth mental health."
- "Our purpose at RBC is to help our communities prosper," said
Patti Shugart, Managing Director and
Head, Corporate Banking & Global Credit, RBC Capital Markets,
"and we know that the well-being of our youth plays a vital part in
creating strong, vibrant communities. We are proud to continue our
longstanding support of the Family Navigation Project and its role
serving youth – and their families – facing mental health and
addiction issues."
- "The navigator program really helped me," shared one FNP
parent. "I felt scared that I couldn't do it alone and then,
suddenly, I had so many choices, from down the street to
downtown."
- "The information and guidance I received was helpful,
empathetic and non-judgmental. It makes me want to cry from relief
. . . in a good way," said another FNP parent.
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 10,000 staff 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.
About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with
a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading
performance. Our success comes from the 84,000+ employees who bring
our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients
thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank, and one of the largest
in the world based on market capitalization, we have a diversified
business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional
experiences to our 16 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 34 other countries. Learn
more at rbc.com.
We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives
through donations, community investments and employee volunteer
activities. See how at rbc.com/community-sustainability.
SOURCE Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre