The Hospital for Sick Children is the largest pediatric hospital in Canada and has earned an international reputation for clinical care and research. From humble beginnings in Victorian Toronto, the hospital pioneered pasteurization, the iron lung for polio patients, Pablum, cutting edge surgical procedures and research into the genetic basis of diseases such as cystic fibrosis. In its early years it received funding from provincial and municipal grants as well as paying patients, but relied heavily on donations from the public to support its mandate to provide treatment to all sick children of Ontario, regardless of the ability of their parents to pay.
In this presentation from the North Toronto Stamp Club, Jean talks about the material used by the Hospital in its early Christmas fundraising appeals, including campaign booklets and letters, illustrated covers, and the special order postal stationery cards that the Hospital used for acknowledging donations. This material gives us a peek into the growth of the Hospital as well as the societal changes that were occurring during this period.