Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is Canada’s hospital for kids with disabilities, focusing on combining world-class care, transformational research, and academic leadership to shape the future of disability health care across the country. They are a top 40 Canadian research hospital that is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, and our research institute is home to the highest concentration of pediatric disability research in the world. In September, they launched “Together We Dare,” an ambitious $100 million fundraising campaign centring around Holland Bloorview ambassadors as they playfully dare potential supporters. The money raised from this campaign will support amazing programs and services for pediatric disability care like innovative access technologies like brain computer interface and 3D printed prosthetics, expanding access to research-backed programs through new Canada-wide partnerships, training more health care providers to provide specialized disability care, and making sure care addresses the cultural and economic contexts of kids and families. We spoke with Sandra Hawken, President and CEO, to learn more.
Describe the charity in a few sentences.
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is the only children’s rehabilitation hospital in Canada focused on combining world-class care, transformational research and academic leadership in the field of pediatric disability. At Holland Bloorview, we believe in creating a world where all youth and children belong. Every year, we help over 9,500 kids and youth with disabilities and complex medical needs access care that focuses on their physical, mental and emotional well-being, and we power their infinite potential and possibilities.
What problem does it aim to solve?
240 million children worldwide have a disability. Yet, there are only a handful of research hospitals focused on pediatric disability care. Coupled with an alarming shortage of specially trained clinicians, inadequate investment in research, and barriers to accessibility, kids with disabilities face inequities in virtually every area of their lives. We’re raising $100 million to address the profound gaps in healthcare experienced by kids and youth with disabilities in Canada and around the world. Through our Centre for Excellence in Childhood Disability, we’re making sure kids with disabilities have access to the latest evidence-based care, programs, and technology—wherever they are, when they need it most.
When did it start?
Holland Bloorview was established in 1899 and has evolved from a facility that could care for children with disabilities and chronic illnesses to Canada’s largest children’s rehabilitation hospital focused on improving the lives of kids with disabilities. We are a global leader in applied research, teaching and learning and client and family-centred care with a vision to create a world of possibility for kids with disabilities.
What makes people want to get involved?
Holland Bloorview is like nowhere else. As Canada’s hospital for kids with disabilities, and a world-leading centre for ground-breaking pediatric research and education, we are uniquely positioned to address the most critical needs facing kids with disabilities and their families, in Canada and globally. Our donors make a difference, allowing us to expand, innovate and ensure kids with disabilities can access the best care possible. Our donors are daring to change the face of disability healthcare in Canada.
What was the situation like when it started?
Fewer than 10 centres globally combine pediatric research and education in a hospital setting. And, we are facing a critical shortage of healthcare providers for people with disabilities.
How has it changed since?
Holland Bloorview has the expertise, the people, and the power to make critical change. OurTeaching and Learning Institute is filling urgent gaps in healthcare and reducing wait times by providing specialized training to over 400 healthcare professionals across multiple disciplines. We’re collaborating with agencies across Canada to bring our evidence-based programs to new communities and populations.
What more needs to be done?
With 23% of disability healthcare providers set to retire in the next 5 years, we need to train more disability healthcare professionals. We need to significantly reduce the average time, 17 years, for research to translate into clinical care practice. And we need to accelerate disability inclusion and health equity, providing greater support to families and communities who are disproportionately impacted by disabilities.
How can our readers help?
Dare to wear a cape from March 6 to 13, 2026 and raise funds to help kids with disabilities move, speak, play and heal. Register for Capes for Kids at CapesForKids.ca.
Do you have any events coming up?
Take your support to greater heights during Capes for Kids week. Visit CapesForKids.ca for more information on our action-packed events.
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