The 24th Annual Doctors of Ontario Charity Hockey Tournament, known as Docs On Ice, took place in Windsor between March 30th and April 1st and involved some 750 physicians from across Ontario. Proceeds from this year’s tournament will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Southwestern Ontario.
Established in 1986, Make-A-Wish grants wishes of children, ages 3 – 17, diagnosed as having a life threatening illness. Wishes are divided into four main categories: I wish to be (a princess, a firefighter, etc.), I wish to meet (a celebrity, a musician, etc.), I wish to have (a computer, a room makeover, etc.), and I wish to go (to Walt Disney World, Florida, etc). Says Communications and Development Coordinator Stephanie Field, “the average cost of a wish is between $6,000 and $7,000”. Says Field. “In 2005, we granted 53 wishes or about a wish a week which is really gratifying. So far this year, we’ve granted eight wishes and already have 56 wishes on the go.
We rely on events like Docs On Ice and businesses like BioPed to achieve our goals.” Robin Schleien, President & CEO of BioPed, is an enthusiastic supporter of Docs On Ice and Make-A-Wish. “It’s been a privilege to be associated with the Docs,” says Schleien. “We were especially honoured this year to support two terrific causes at once. What a great feeling it was to have 100% participation from all of our BioPed locations.”
To date, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has fulfilled 500 wishes in Southwestern Ontario. All monies raised locally are used to fund wishes of children living within this proximity. To learn more about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, please log on to www.swo.makeawish.ca or call 519.471.4900, ext. 21.