CDW Canada donates technology and financial support to SickKids

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

CDW Canada donates technology and financial support to SickKids

 

Etobicoke, ON — November 9, 2011 — CDW Canada, a leading provider of technology solutions for Canadian organizations in the public and private sectors, today announced it has donated more than $22,000 and 18 computers to The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto. The donation will expand the technology resources available to SickKids patients, families and staff. CDW Canada presented its donations today at the hospital in the Simulation Centre, one of the many sites that will receive new technology.

 

“CDW Canada is very happy to support SickKids and provide technology that will be used by patients and staff alike,” said Mary Ann Yule, Vice President and General Manager, CDW Canada. “Our organization has been a proud supporter of SickKids for three years, and most recently our coworkers raised more than $22,000 during an annual fundraiser which was donated in addition to the technology. As a top solutions provider, we know how integral technology is to help optimize healthcare. We’re especially happy to hear that our donation will go to not only help and train hospital staff, but will also be used by patients and their families so they can be connected during their hospital stay.”

 

CDW Canada donated a total of 18 English and French computers to the hospital — including laptops, notebooks and desktop PCs — which will be used in several areas:

 

  • Clinical Areas: Some of the donated laptops will be used in clinical areas — including Neurology, Bone Marrow Transplant and Oncology — to allow young patients to stay connected to the outside world of family, friends and school. This is especially comforting for patients who are confined to their hospital bed and unable to be with loved ones. They will also be able to use the computers to do activities and play games, providing a great distraction to help decrease anxiety and stress during hospitalization. 

 

  • Simulation Centre: The Simulation Program at SickKids seeks to advance paediatric clinical education by offering individuals and teams the opportunity to practice routine procedures and life-saving techniques, and to recognize and treat rare conditions in a real-time environment without any risk to patients. The Learning Institute launched a state-of-the-art Simulation Centre in 2009 which features a high-fidelity lab, debriefing room, procedural training space and a control room. Used in combination with lower-fidelity mannequins, the donated laptops will be used to display vital signs, thereby increasing the realism of the scenario during mock code training. They will also be used during simulation training sessions for participants to view presentations, training materials, videos and more.

 

  • Learning Disabilities Research Program: For almost 30 years, the Learning Disabilities Research Program (LDRP) at SickKids has been collaborating with school boards across the Greater Toronto Area and the province to improve services for children and teens who struggle to learn to read and write.  The LDRP develops and evaluates interventions for children and adolescents who have significant learning difficulties and has seen more than 6,000 children in its laboratory classrooms to date. The additional computer will be used for data analysis as well as program development activities, allowing staff to move forward with research projects and the writing of new learning materials for children.

-more-

  • Ontario Poison Centre: This centre electronically documents all calls in patient records, which  are gathered to generate statistical reports and conduct research. Computers at the centre and at its satellite office at Montfort Hospital in Ottawa will be upgraded courtesy of the donation. The Montfort office is a bilingual site which specifically supports services to the Francophone community in Ontario.

 

  • Family Resource Centre: The AboutKidsHealth Family Resource Centre provides services to inpatient and outpatient families. The Centre and the AboutKidsHealth website offer information for families as well as community-based professionals to help with the health and quality of life of children. The donated computer will be used by families who wish to search for health information or simply want to keep in touch with family members and friends.

  • Interpreter Services: Interpreter Services is an on-site, service-oriented resource that provides language service to patients and their families receiving care at SickKids. Trained interpreters are on-hand to help families.

  • Telemedicine: SickKids is able to stay connected to patients and healthcare professionals provincially, nationally and internationally through telemedicine. Live interactive videoconferencing technology and high-speed telecommunications networks are used for patient consultation and professional medical education.

 

“We are so grateful for CDW Canada’s donation to SickKids. This technology donation, as well as the generous support of CDW Canada’s employees, touches many different areas of the hospital and will help patients and families stay connected,” said Diane Armes-Redrupp, Senior Development Officer, SickKids Foundation. “Our corporate partners make a big difference to the families who rely on SickKids, and donations like these help SickKids continue to be a leader in paediatric research, learning and care.”

 

CDW Canada presented its donation to SickKids this morning at a presentation in the hospital's Simulation Centre. For photos from today's event, please visit http://sawebdev.ca/CDW/sick_kids_donation/ .

 

About CDW Canada
CDW Canada Inc. is a leading provider of technology solutions for organizations in the public and private sectors. As a trusted advisor for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), CDW Canada provides a single destination for organizations to research, inquire or purchase virtually any technology solution that they require. Customers benefit from one-on-one relationships with knowledgeable account managers who are backed by a team of highly certified IT specialists. Through successful partnerships with more than 350 leading technology manufacturers, CDW Canada draws from a comprehensive selection of 160,000 technology products to help customers find the best technology to meet their unique business needs.  Headquartered in Etobicoke, Ontario, CDW Canada is a wholly owned subsidiary of Vernon Hills, Illinois-based CDW Corporation. In 2010, CDW Canada ranked #36 and #16 on Best Workplaces in Canada and Great Workplaces for Women respectively.

-30-

For more information, please contact:
Cindy Watson/Claire McCorquodale
StrategicAmpersand Inc.

cindy@stratamp.com / claire@stratamp.com

(416) 961-5595 ext. 433/447