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Generous Gift Boosts Youth Mental Health Care
20 Nov
Summary
- A $35 million donation targets children's mental health care.
- Two Ontario hospitals receive funds for precision mental health.
- Gift aims for early detection and tailored treatment for youth.
The Waverley House Foundation has generously donated $35 million to two prominent Ontario children's hospitals, aiming to revolutionize mental health care for young individuals. This substantial gift will empower the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario to expand their Precision Child and Youth Mental Health system, which focuses on early detection and intervention.
The foundation's founder, Bruce McKean, expressed a deep concern for the state of mental health, driven by personal observations of its impact on families and colleagues. He emphasized the critical need for early support, stating that timely interventions in youth can profoundly change and even save lives.
This funding will enable the hospitals to utilize advanced 'precision medicine' techniques, considering genetic, environmental, and biological factors for individualized treatment plans. The initiative seeks to move beyond treating conditions to treating specific children, acknowledging that an estimated 1.2 million young Canadians are affected by mental illness.
