South family named "Good Bears" for CHEO

Posted Feb 2, 2012 By Emma Jackson

---

EMC News - An Ottawa South couple has been inducted into CHEO's Order of the Good Bear in appreciation of their ongoing fundraising efforts for the children's hospital.

Matt and Dayna Robinson from Riverside South were officially inducted on Tuesday, Jan. 24 with their three children.

The Robinsons have been active supporters of CHEO ever since their six-year-old twin daughters were born 12 weeks early at the Ottawa General Hospital. Kathryn weighed only 1 pound 15 ounces, and especially needed the support of CHEO's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. After six weeks at the general hospital, she moved to CHEO to spend another three months in hospital.

After her discharge, doctors discovered Kathryn had profound hearing loss and proceeded to give her cochlear implants to improve her hearing.

She has had seven surgeries at CHEO since she was born, and has been seeing a hearing specialist once a week for several years.

"It's like family, because you spend so much time there," said Dayna Robinson, who noted that Kathryn's sister Kristina has also had minor eye surgery at the children's hospital and the family's nine-year-old son Mitchell has been there to treat his asthma. "When Kathryn graduated (from hearing therapy) in October last year, it was sad but happy at the same time."

As a thank you, the family has tried to do as much as possible to give back.

For the past four years Matt has held The Longest Day of Golf at the Rideau Valley Golf and Country Club in Manotick, where he works as a teaching professional. From 5 a.m. to midnight he gives continuous golf lessons, with all the proceeds going to CHEO. The annual events have raised a total of $119,000 - an astonishing feat helped by an anonymous donor who matches all of their fundraising. Robinson added that the golf club members are very supportive of the event each year.

Robinson said she also helps occasionally by sharing the family's experiences during CHEO telethons, radiothons and other campaigns.

"Whenever they call, I just say I'll do it," she said, insisting the effort is "minimal."

"Essentially its four days worth of work," she said of the annual Longest Day of Golf event, which relies heavily on Matt's efforts. "It's an easy thing to do and we enjoy doing it."

Robinson said the award was an unexpected surprise.

"We're honoured but it's not something we would have expected. We do this to give back," she said.

A statement from CHEO at the induction ceremony said the Robinson family's efforts have allowed the hospital to update much-needed equipment.

"Thanks to the Robinson family, CHEO has been able to purchase new equipment for the audiology department using money raised from this event.

On top of that, they have invested in CHEO's future by giving to the Dr. Brock MacMurray Endowment Fund in support of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the NICU follow-up clinic," the statement said.

The whole family was there to receive the award.




blog comments powered by Disqus