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You are a part of our history Thirteen years since starting our foundation in 1995. It has been a labor of love for very many people. It has also been successful, accomplishing public awareness which had never before been witnessed. No longer do children, families and adults with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (I.B.D.)* shy away from talking about the disorders and as a result, we have also been successful in raising $15 M for research and built a research lab, the first of its kind in B.C. and established two Endowed Chairs for Research at U.B.C. and at Children's Hospital. We could only accomplish this with your help and your support. THANK YOU for this and for giving what you could in every way.
You are A PART OF OUR FUTURE On May 12, 2008 , our CH.I.L.D. Foundation was given a grant of twelve million dollars, announced by Premier Gordon Campbell at B.C.'s Children's Hospital. Information and an explanation of the grant can be found on this website www.child.ca . The grant is to be used to implement The CH.I.L.D. National Research Collaborative and the CH.I.L.D. National Research Network. These two initiatives answer the question asked over many years: “Why don't researchers and all medical Disciplines who work on a cure for I.B.D. get together, communicate and co-ordinate In order to find a cure for Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and Liver Disorders?” With a $12 million grant, we are launching the CH.I.L.D. Collaborative and the CH.I.L.D. National Research Network to address this question, and target one disease to find a cure for Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. British Columbia , through this grant and these initiatives will lead Canada to initiate a program that concentrates every group and individual working on I.B.D. to collate the information, that is, share their expertise and share our vision: FIND A CURE.
Can we now stop working? Not until we find a cure. We're not there yet and in the meantime, the CH.I.L.D. Foundation will, with your help and the wonderful support of our people in British Columbia continue to raise funds for research for the quest for a cure. Research requires substantial financial resources. Our CH.I.L.D. Research Laboratory at Children's Hospital now has eleven people working daily to find a cure. We feel sure that with their dedication, the support of the community, and our new idea to enjoin with all Canadian researchers, we will be successful. May 12, 2008 was a great day for us all and we should pause to appreciate our wonderful B.C. Government grant, the work of our volunteer Board of Directors and all of our volunteers and supporters and doctors and researchers and donors. And now, time to go to work to help all the children we serve! Thank you!
Former C.H.I.L.D. Foundation Updates The CH.I.L.D. Foundation was launched by a group of volunteers and obtained its charitable tax-exempt status from the Federal Government in September, 1995. Tax exempt number: BN 89897 4951 RR0001. The following covers past accomplishments and future plans: A Summary of CH.I.L.D.'s First Nine Years Established a totally voluntary organization with very limited expenses. Raised the level of awareness to the public through public relations and advertising, all of which have been totally donated. The University of British Columbia has provided a $500,000 matching Grant to CH.I.L.D. on the recommendation of the Dean of Medicine. The Government of British Columbia has matched $1 million on the recommendation of the Premier and the Minister of Finance. In March 2002, the Sydney Belzberg CH.I.L.D. Research Fund was named after the President of Budget Rental Cars for his support of our Foundation. In December, 2003 and Endowment Deed was signed between the CH.I.L.D. Foundation and BC's Children's Hospital Foundation whereby CH.I.L.D. contributed $2 million and Children's Hospital Foundation contributed $1 million. The combined $3 million will be invested by the Hospital Foundation, and the resultant earnings of the fund provides one researcher. It is one of the largest amounts raised by a Foundation in the hospital's history. We have recruited our first researcher, Dr. Bruce Vallance. The world-wide search resulted in an excellent medical scientist who began work in January 2003. He is now being assisted by, renowned Pediatric Gastroenterologist Dr. Kevan Jacobson. Working alongside the doctors in the new research lab are research assistants Caixia Ma and Dr. Mohammad Khan.
We have had outstanding support from the BC's Children's Hospital where the research is being conducted. The help from the University of British Columbia's Medical Faculty has been equally outstanding. Our goals for the first phase of the CH.I.L.D. Foundation have all been met. We are at a pivotal and defining point in our organization's short history. We interpret our plan in the following broad terms for the next five years: Our First Researcher An announcement was made in October 2002 introducing our first research scholar. This doctor is financed by the revenue from the $3.5 million Endowed Chair. The advantage of an Endowed Chair is that the yield from the principle is ongoing without touching the principle (Ensures funding in perpetuity). Dr. Bruce Vallance has completed his post-doctoral fellowship at the Biotechnology Laboratory at UBC working with Dr. Brett Finlay. Dr. Vallance completed his Ph.D training at the Intestinal Diseases Research Programme at McMaster's University in Hamilton, Ontario. Under the direction of Dr. Stephen Collins, Chief of Gastroenterology, Bruce developed models of inflammatory bowel disease and studied how parasite infections cause disease in the gastrointestinal tract, publishing several papers on these subjects. (To read more on Dr. Vallance, please go to the bottom of the Board of Directors page). Medical Research Laboratory The renovation to the research laboratory is now completed and up and running at BC's Children's Hospital. This lab will be used for approximately three years while the hospital and government are constructing a new building on site. When complete, all of our laboratory will be moved into larger quarters in the new structure. It should be noted that the Gastroenterology Division of the Children's Hospital has been given emphasis on priority, which reflects the hospital's co-operation and awareness of the digestive problems associated with about 70 per cent of all the children admitted to hospital. The Team Approach Now that our researchers are on board, it is imperative to surround them with a hard-working team of scientists who will, in co-ordination with the members of the scientific group, find solutions to the problems of Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. Therefore, ongoing fundraising to provide this team ensures our future success. Better Co-ordination We see the CH.I.L.D. Foundation as a catalyst for change. At the present time, too many individuals and groups of researchers work in isolation. Our organization would like to see more sharing of knowledge to benefit all and to hasten our objectives. To this end, we will hold a series of meetings with all other I.B.D. researchers, and encourage electronic links across Canada, the United States, and the rest of the world. In this age of the internet, this system should be updated. Administrative Strength The CH.I.L.D. Foundation has become well known, has successfully raised $9 million, and has started meaningful action in just nine years. This accomplishment has been done with very little administrative cost and is probably the fastest acton ever taken by a group of volunteers. Our Executive decided that an Administrator was required for the important work ahead, which includes establishing a network with the research community and CH.I.L.D., as well as the smooth operation of the Foundation. The Executive Director, Mary Parsons, was appointed in December 2002. We are not there yet. Thanks to generous donors, researchers currently have 1,300 square feet of laboratory space at BC's Children's Hospital and one office. Within five years, it is anticipated the research group will grow to include five researchers along with technical support and trainees. Their research activities are projected to require between 8,000 and 10,000 square feet of laboratory space. This will be housed in the BC Research Institute's proposed Research Building Expansion Project, slated for completion in 2006.
Our goal is to develop the pediatric Gastroenterology Division at BC's Children's Hospital into a leading International Centre of Excellence. At the heart of our plan is the creation of a new research program that will see researchers and clinicians interacting on a daily basis, spanning the bridge between investigative science and real world treatment for patients. We are also planning an Innovative Ideas in IBD Research Network - an interactive network that will facilitate the geographical exchange of vital information needed by doctors, researchers, and clinicians everywhere in their work to find answers to these debilitating disorders. Co-Ordination of the Stakeholders
Continue to draw on community support for this cause by working well with groups and individuals and keeping the CH.I.L.D. Foundation name in the public eye. Conclusion We are not there yet. We are determined to find a cure. When a cure is found, our Board will, (besides celebrating), choose another needy children's illness and our funds will go to work for that cause. This committment is embodied in our Mission Statement. To view our Friends of CH.I.L.D., click here. To view our Board of Directors, click here.
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