Together, SpineHope and The Caribbean Foundation (TCCF) have been able to change the lives of four Caribbean teens suffering from severe spinal deformities over the last year. All four children (Rahsaan, Isaiah, Samathra and Kachell) have returned to their homes and are recovering well. These teens now have the opportunity to live their lives without pain and are able to now do what they have always wanted to do…live more normal, confident lives.

TCCF has gone above and beyond and we admire their commitment to saving children’s lives! SpineHope is grateful for TCCF’s continued support, participation and generosity. We hope we can further our work together and, in the coming years, help more children in Guyana and the Caribbean who are in need of spine treatment.

Dawn Deakin
Executive Director

“It has been an honor and a privilege to work closely for the last four years with The Caribbean Children’s Foundation (TCCF). The burden of congenital heart disease is unknown to many. Still, it is one of the most terrifying illnesses to live with, especially if you live in a country with limited or no resources to help these children. The despair of the fathers and mothers seeing how their children’s lives slowly fade away is unbearable. As a pediatric cardiac surgeon and medical consultant for Gift of Life International, this is very personal. That is why we build medical teams and travel to emerging countries to diagnose and cure these children.

Most importantly, we work on building local capacity so that the local healthcare professionals are equipped to take care of these patients in the future. We share with TCCF the desire, the compassion, and the long-term vision this work requires. We are the soldiers on the ground, but we could not be there without TCCF supporting us.

I hope this relationship and friendship continues for years to come so that many more children can have the gift of life.”

On behalf of SpineHope and the children we serve in the Caribbean, I would like to extend a very special ‘thank you’ to The Caribbean Children Foundation (TCCF) for their partnership and financial support since 2017. Due to our collaboration and the generous child sponsorships they have provided, we have been able to help several children from the Republic of Guyana living with severe spinal deformities and other complex spine conditions.

Millions of children around the world suffer from debilitating deformities and are in need of surgical treatment. For a significant number of these children, access to quality spine care is limited or non-existent. Because spine operations are difficult, big and costly, deformities are often overlooked and ignored. The negative impact on the children and their families (physically, mentally, emotionally and financially) is enormous. To help address this problem, the SpineHope Hub Program focuses on bringing children from under-resourced countries to the United States for evaluation and surgical treatment if cleared, followed by a recovery period (a 6-8 week stay). With the support of TCCF and other medical service donors, we have been able to give the incredible gift of spinal treatment and surgery to help children in the Caribbean live more normal, pain-free and better lives.

We are grateful for our partnership with TCCF and appreciate their kind hearts, generosity and commitment to finding quality healthcare for Caribbean children in need. We look forward to continuing our work together to help even more children in the future.

On behalf of the International Patient Program at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), it is our great pleasure to extend our sincerest thanks and congratulations as you celebrate the TCCF 18th Anniversary Angel Gala!

The International Patient Program at The Hospital for Sick Children and the Herbie Fund have been privileged to have this valuable partnership with The Caribbean Children Foundation. Through your generous donations, we have continued to fulfill our program goal of supporting children with access to specialized health care and our SickKids mission Healthier Children, A Better World.

Through this partnership, we have been able to care for children from Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad, Antigua, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Guyana and St. Vincent. Together, we have improved the quality of life of those children who received treatment from pediatric specialists in General Surgery, Orthopedics, Urology, Cardiovascular and Plastic Surgery at SickKids over the years.

Thank you for all of your fundraising efforts and generous contributions over the years. We are proud to have worked with you to offer life-changing care to children who would not have otherwise had access to care in the Caribbean.

Congratulation on another successful year! Happy 18th Anniversary!

With Warmest Regards,

Aimee C. Pastor, RN, BScN MN
Senior Manager, International Patient Program
SickKids International
The Hospital for Sick Children
702-525 University Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M5G 2L3

SpineHope would like to thank The Caribbean Children Foundation (TCCF) for partnering with us to help children suffering from debilitating spinal deformities and other complex spine problems to receive the sugery they need.

Most recently, TCCF and SpineHope teamed up to bring Rashaan Abel, a 16 year old boy with severe 90 degree scoliosis to Austin, Texas for surgery as Dell Children’s Medical Centre.

His condition was to the point where it was pressing into his right lung and deteriorating badly. He has been able to receive the treatment he needed and will return to Guyana, hopefully with less paid, and an improved self image, and will have a chance at a more normal life.

We appreciate our partnership and look forward to assisting more children from Guyana and the Caribbean 2018 and beyond.

My sincerest recognition and gratitude to my dear friends at TCCF on their 17th anniversary. Seventeen years of love and unconditional assistance to the children of the Caribbean. Especially on these days in which the region has been devastated by mother nature, TCCF bring hope to the lives of hundreds of children. I am proud to partner with TCCF in the effort to save kids with congenital heart disease and build sustainability in the region for the generation to come.

Hope to keep working for many years with your great organization.

Warmest regards,

Rodrigo Soto, MD
Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon, CEO Clinical Operations
International Children’s Heart Foundation
275 S Walnut Bend Road, Suite 102
Cordova, TN, 38018, USA

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the 17th Anniversary Angel Gala, hosted by the Caribbean Children Foundation.

Since its establishment in 2000, the Caribbean Children Foundation has helped some of the Caribbean’s most vulnerable children access to critical medical care in Canada, care which they otherwise would not be able to receive. Owing to the volunteers and donors of this laudable organization, 180 children have been able to return to their homes in health and happiness.

As we gather here tonight, I would like to thank you for your generosity. I believe that this type of kindness truly embodies what it means to be Canadian, each of us pitching in to support those who are truly in need.

Thank You to the organizers of the amazing event and to all of you who are in attendance tonight to support this worthwhile cause. Please accept my warmest welcome and best wishes for a successful gala.

Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister of Canada

On behalf of the Government of Ontario, I am delighted to extend warm wishes to everyone attending the 17th Anniversary Angel Gala in support of the Caribbean Children Foundation (TCCF).

No one, least of all critically ill children, should have to do without the specialized medical care they need. It is therefore heartening to know that TCCF has garnered to much support over the years for life-changing and life-saving operation for children and their families from the Caribbean and Guyana.

Thanks to the generosity of everyone in attendance at tonight’s gala, the foundation will be able to provide more access to proper medical treatment and care. Your support, and the remarkable work done by TCCF’s entirely volunteer-run organization, exemplifies a spirit of generosity that extends beyond our borders.

Please accept my best wishes for an enjoyable gala and many more years of success for this worthy cause.

Kathleen Wynne
Premier

Dear Kris,

We received your latest donation to help pay for surgeries on our recent mission. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your long-term support for the BabyHeart mission. Your generosity gives so many children a chance at a happy and healthy life that they wouldn’t have without getting treatment for their cardiac defects.

The BabyHeart team recently returned from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic where 25 children received the lifesaving treatment they needed, including 1-year old Yudiel. Please know that you play an integral part in bringing hope to these children and their families. On behalf of the children and families that we serve, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or visit us online at www.BabyHeart.com to catch the latest news on our next mission.

With Heartfelt Thanks,

James O’Toole
Development Associate

On behalf of the International Patient Program at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), it is our great pleasure to extend our sincerest thanks and congratulations as you celebrate the TCCF 17th Anniversary Angel Gala!

The International Patient Program at The Hospital for Sick Children and the Herbie Fund are privileged to work in partnership with The Caribbean Children Foundation. At SickKids, we believe that all critically ill children deserve access to specialized health care, regardless of their place or origin or geographic location. With your support, we have been able to care for children from Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad, Antigua, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Guyana and St. Vincent. Our collaborative efforts with your organizational members improved the quality of life of those children who received treatment from pediatric specialists in General Surgery, Orthopedics, Urology, Cardiovascular and Plastic Surgery at SickKids over the years. Through your fundraising efforts and generous contributions over the years, you have supported SickKids o offer life-changing care to so many children who would not have otherwise had access to care in the Caribbean.

We look forward to continuing our partnership in support of the advancement of children’s health in the Caribbean. Congratulations on another successful year of achieving your mandate, and influencing the lives of so may children in the Caribbean.

Happy 17th Anniversary!

With Warmest Regards

It is my pleasure on behalf of the Caribbean Consular Corps of Toronto, to extend warm greetings and congratulations to the Caribbean Children Foundation (TCCF), as you celebrate your 17th Anniversary Angel Gala.

The Caribbean Consular Corps salutes the pioneers of TCCF for their vision and foresight, and the many volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure the underprivileged, critically ill children from the Caribbean, can receive life saving medical attention here in Canada.

The Caribbean Consular shares the view of TCCF, that “there should be a no barrier, especially financial, between a critically ill child and access to medical treatment.” Every child is precious and we must do all that we can to ensure that they grow up and reach their full potential.

The Caribbean Consular Corps stands ready to explore opportunities for collaboration with the TCCF. Congratulation on your 17th Anniversary Angel Gala and best wishes for your continued success.

Sincerely,
Ann-Marie Layne