The RBC Race for the Kids is back once again, and this time in support of RVH's youth mental health emergency services which specializes in mental healthcare designed for the unique needs of young people.
RVH's Emergency Department cares for three children in mental health crises on any given day. The isolation and disruption of COVID have caused the number of youths in crisis to climb, at times, up to four times higher than usual. Your support has a direct impact on the quality of care for young people suffering from a mental health crisis, and the concerned families who love them.
"Watching my brother struggle while waiting for care in the Emergency Department was the most helpless I've ever felt. In his worst moment, experiencing a mental health crisis, he was surrounded by strangers and felt stigmatized. This escalated an already terrible situation. Having a private and quiet space would have provided comfort and the kind of specialized care that would have improved not only his experience but that of our entire family" Joyce, sister of a past RVH patient.
Since 2009, RBC Race for the Kids has grown to an exciting series of 17 charitable races taking place around the world, supporting kids and youth-focused causes. In total, over 290,000 participants have raised more than $65 million. In 2020, the series of in-person races couldn’t happen, so they pivoted to a global, virtual RBC Race for the Kids to continue raising much-needed funds for their charity partners. Last year, over 33,000 participants from 120+ countries raised more than $8.8 million!
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So far, 314 runners have signed up and collected over $20,000, but with so much time left, we're sure that's only a drop in the bucket compared to what our community can do!
The RBC Race for the Kids is on right now until October 17, and you can get more information, donate, and register to run, here.
Featured image: RVH via facebook.com
