The Children’s Foundation is extremely grateful to Opération Enfant Soleil, a longstanding partner since 1989. This year, Opération Enfant Soliel donated a record $4 million to The Children’s to enhance care and research to benefit children from across Quebec.

This donation will support several Hospital projects, including the Pediatric Sleep Medicine Centre of Excellence. Research indicates up to 33% of children suffer from a sleep disorder; this figure rises to 90% in children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, ADHD, learning difficulties, and cerebral palsy. Sleep problems impact children's health and quality of life and cause families enormous stress.

This center helps to diagnose and assess the severity of sleep disorders. Furthermore, treatment plans can be implemented right away due to the accuracy and precision of equipment and resources. It also saves some children from spending several nights in the hospital!

This year's funding will also contribute to the advancement of several other projects, including The Children’s Smart Hospital Project, a Canadian first assessing the use of a wireless monitoring system for hospitalized newborns and premature infants.

Traditionally, these tiny babies are hooked to dozens of wires that monitor their heartbeat, breathing and more. To replace this wired technology,  the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit team is testing the accuracy of wireless sensors, which involve a small sensor on the baby's chest and a bracelet with a sensor on the wrist or ankle. That's all there is to it! Parents can readily pick up their babies, and the health team can easily provide daily care.  This year’s donation is in addition to the nearly $800,000 already donated to launch the Smart Hospital Project.