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SickKids introduces Impact, a new magazine showcasing research innovation from initial idea to commercialization

TORONTO (May 14, 2008) - When Pablum was created in 1930, few would have imagined it would be the catalyst for groundbreaking research and improvements in every facet of children's health. But when SickKids licensed the manufacturing rights for Pablum it helped finance the SickKids Research Institute in 1954, leading to hundreds of lifesaving discoveries, benefiting millions of children around the world.

Pablum is just one of the hospital's many innovations that have had world-wide impact. From Canada's first successful surgical separation of conjoined twins to discovering the disease gene for cystic fibrosis, SickKids has led the way in breakthrough scientific research that has changed children's healthcare globally. SickKids Foundation has created a new magazine, SickKids Impact, to profile a selection of these discoveries and their role in improving the health of children in Canada and around the world. Impact marks the first time a hospital foundation has reported on the effect of its research, from the initial idea through philanthropic gifts, to commercialization -- the process of bringing a product to the market.

"The face of healthcare is changing. With donations playing an increasingly important role in medical research, our donors want to know how their dollars are making a difference," says Paula Roberts, Vice President, SickKids Foundation. "Impact helps them understand the entire process of turning ideas into reality, providing an overview of what occurs between the research discoveries to the time it makes an impact in the everyday lives of children around the world."

The first issue of SickKids Impact explores the progress and improvements being made in bone marrow transplantation, bladder replacement, diabetes, learning disabilities, chronic pain management and autism. The magazine will be printed twice a year and can also be viewed online at www.sickkids.ca/impact. Future issues of Impact will continue to provide unique insight into how innovations in clinical practice, research and education are fully developed, tested and brought to market through partnerships and commercialization, a concept SickKids has successfully practiced for decades.

For SickKids, commercialization bridges the gap between discovery and industrial application. Creating an educational program, publishing a book, and developing a drug are all extremely expensive endeavors. If the discovery or idea is promising, the hospital may license out the intellectual property of the discovery to industry, or may decide to create a company to develop a product or find a way to partner with industry to see it developed. To this end, SickKids created the Corporate Ventures office in 2006 to enhance, support and facilitate the commercialization of intellectual property discovered or developed at SickKids.

"Commercialization allows us to share the knowledge and innovations we make here with the rest of Canada and the world, and funds future research," says Dr. Stuart Howe, Director, SickKids Corporate Ventures. "We are constantly searching for new discoveries -- and furthering our understanding of health, science and research requires funding."

The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute is one of the largest hospital-based research institutes in Canada, with approximately 2,200 staff involved in more than 1,000 funded research projects. "Philanthropy allows us to continue our research and discover significant medical breakthroughs that can make a difference around the world," says Roberts. "Impact shows the tangible benefits their work can have and brings some of these great success stories to life."

About SickKids Foundation:

SickKids Foundation is the largest non-governmental granting agency in children's health in Canada. Since 1972, the Foundation has generated more than a billion dollars towards children's health care and has granted more than $70 million to researchers across the country. Our mission is to inspire our communities to invest in health and scientific advances to improve the health of children in Canada and around the world. Our vision is, "Healthier Children. A Better World.^TM"

In September 2006, SickKids Foundation launched the largest fundraising campaign for a hospital in Canada. The SickKids Believe fundraising campaign has a goal of $500 million to be reached by 2011.

For more information or to arrange an interview with Paula Roberts or Stuart Howe, contact:

Mike Abbass
Paradigm Public Relations
416-203-2223
mabbass@paradigmpr.ca

To read Impact online, please visit www.sickkids.ca/impact
To request a printed copy please contact Laura Bradley at Laura.Bradley@sickkidsfoundation.com