OUR SUNGLASSES EVENT

For our Sunglasses Event, we invited students from high schools across the YRDSB district to put on shades and take pictures to show their support! This initiative helped spread awareness throughout our school community as we shared information about heart disease in children and raised support for the child we are fundraising for.

   2025 Meeting of the Canadian 

 Translational Geroscience Network

Hope for Young Hearts was so very grateful for the opportunity to attend the 2025 Meeting of the Canadian Translational Geroscience Network, held at the Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research at the University of Toronto. This event aimed to foster dynamic exchanges among academics, industry stakeholders, healthcare professionals, and individuals interested in promoting longevity and healthy aging. With this year’s themes focusing on Biomedical Research, Implementing Geroscience into Policy and Practice, and Implementing Geroscience into Clinical Practice and Research, we were able to listen to amazing lectures and network with so many inspiring people.

   Ignite Fair

Hope for Young Hearts had an amazing time attending the Ignite Fair X YRES Volunteer Fair!  This annual volunteer fair for youth aged 12-30 took place on October 25, 2025 at the Thornhill Community Center. The event connects youth volunteers with over 40 nonprofit organizations, presenting a wide range of volunteer opportunities. Since its inaugural event in 2014, Ignite Fair has hosted nine volunteer fairs, reached over 7,900 people through its events and initiatives, facilitated more than 29,000 volunteer hours, and featured over 400 organizations dedicated to community impact.

Gifted Hearts Drive Christmas Event

Hope for Young Hearts is excited to share the success of our Holiday Hearts Drive. In partnership with SickKids Hospital, we organized a toy drive to bring gifts and smiles to young heart patients. As part of our efforts, we also participated in the Angel Card Project, an online initiative that allows people to send heartfelt Christmas cards. This year, we donated $75 to SickKids for their fundraiser, gifted over $150 worth of toys, and wrote more than 50 personalized cards. Our donations included teddy bears, dog stuffed animals, Crayola boxes, coloring books, Baby Einstein sensory toys, and many other thoughtful items. We were thrilled to have over 80 participants take part in the event. Some joined by writing cards, others contributed toys, and many simply shared in the holiday spirit, helping us create a festive environment. 

Fund for Every Heart: Winter Edition

On January 31, 2026, through a partnership with LiveWise and Somnette, we successfully raised over $150 through a cookie fundraiser at the Oak Ridges Community Centre. LiveWise’s $500 donation, combined with Somnette’s support, enabled us to reach a total of $650 raised for this fundraiser.  This effort was made possible by the dedication and outreach of our 26-member team, whose collective support played a key role in the fundraiser’s success!

Heart Archives Event

On February 5, 2026, we hosted the Heart Archives Event, inviting community members to post messages of support for young heart patients on an origami heart at the Bayview Hill Community Centre. The event garnered significant attention, including a letter of greeting from Mayor David West and coverage by York Region Newsroom, as we aimed to break the Guinness World Record for the largest origami heart, measuring 5 meters by 5 meters and breaking the previous world record of 4.79m. Promoted by our local news outlet and municipal leader, over 150 participants shared messages of hope, making the event both meaningful and memorable for the community.

Hope for Young Hearts Day

With recognition from Richmond Hill’s Mayor, David West, we secured February 5 as Hope for Young Hearts Day. This holiday is dedicated to recognizing the strength of children living with heart disease and raising awareness within the community. It brings people together to learn and take action for children with heart conditions.

Walk for Jaya and Yunas

Collaborating with SickKids Hospital’s February Steps Challenge, we engaged over 20 community members to participate within their local neighbourhoods. For every 10 km completed, $50.00 was raised per participant, with a total of $500.00. All proceeds were directed toward supporting partner organizations, including SickKids, Save a Child’s Heart, Plan International, and the Canadian Sleep Society.

World Affairs Conference

On February 25, 2026, we attended the World Affairs Conference (WAC), North America’s largest student-run current events conference. Since 1983, WAC has brought together over 10,000 students from 80+ schools across 35+ countries, providing a global platform for youth to learn and engage.  At this conference, we will run a booth at the Service Fair to build intentional connections and inspire to advocate for children’s heart health.