COQUITLAM, BC, Aug. 23, 2015 – Lydia Ko beat one of the strongest fields on the LPGA tour this year to win the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open title, but it is British Columbia’s kids that will leave with the biggest prize as CP is donating $1.2 million to BC Children’s Hospital Foundation (BCCHF) in support of pediatric cardiac research.
“We are proud to have brought professional golf to the Lower Mainland and we are even prouder to make one of the largest charitable donations on the LPGA tour to this important cause,” said CP President and Chief Operating Officer Keith Creel. “The leading edge cardiology research being conducted at BC Children’s Hospital has the potential to change and even save the lives of children living in BC, and the newly established CP Healthy Hearts Research Fund will ensure these benefits continue long after the end of our tournament.”
The CP Healthy Hearts Research Fund will expand the abilities of BC Children’s cardiology department, specifically by way of research. PhD trained researchers will be hired to lead new studies related to Heart Rhythm Disorders and Congenital Heart and Vascular Health. A predominant focus of the research will also connect the effects of exercise on those with congenital heart disease.
“Congenital heart disease affects one in every 100 children; it’s among the most common congenital anomalies,” said Dr. Shubhayan Sanatani, head of Cardiology at BC Children’s Hospital. “As the centre for specialized pediatric cardiology care in British Columbia, BC Children’s Hospital treats infants, children and teens with complex heart problems from all over BC, the Yukon and other Western Canadian provinces. This tremendous support from CP will allow us to continue to provide excellent care to this important population. It will also allow us to improve our care by expanding our research efforts to find even better treatments for these children.”
The final donation total was a result of a number of fundraising initiatives leading up to the conclusion of the golf tournament, including BC Children’s Hospital Miracle Weekend, Grind for Kids and online donation matching.
“Through this tournament and its CP Has Heart initiative, Canadian Pacific has engaged the community to support our hospital’s cardiac programs and research,” said Teri Nicholas, President and CEO of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. “It’s an ideal partnership: CP takes care of the country’s major arteries while our cardiac specialists take care of the smallest. We are extremely grateful to CP, Golf Canada, The Vancouver Golf Club and all who contributed to help BC Children’s achieve its vision to provide the best care possible.”
BC Children’s Hospital serves close to one million children living in BC and the Yukon, with the Heart Centre seeing thousands of patients a year. Patients like 17-year-old Samantha Armstrong, the CP Has Heart ambassador for the 2015 CPKC Women’s Open. On the day she was born, Armstrong was diagnosed with a rare congenital heart defect. At age nine she had open-heart surgery at BC Children’s Hospital.
“When I was born I had a congenital heart defect called Ebstein’s Anomaly and I’ve been in treatment with BC Children’s Hospital my whole life. The doctors have counselled me to be stronger and work on my cardio, and this has allowed me to live my life as a normal kid, and not have my heart condition hold me back from anything,” said Armstrong. “CP Has Heart is a really great cause that means so much to me, my family and my friends with heart defects. BC Children’s means our lives, to us.”
CP has extended its commitment as the title sponsor of Canada’s National Women’s Open Golf Championship through 2018 and will continue to give back to host communities throughout the lifetime of the sponsorship. The 2016 CPKC Women’s Open, to be held in Calgary at Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club, will benefit Alberta Children’s Hospital’s pediatric cardiac care and research.
“People continue to rally around the CP Has Heart cause and we are delighted with all the fundraising success CP had through this event,” said Scott Simmons, CEO of Golf Canada. “We look forward to working with CP over the next few years as they continue to leave legacies in the host cities of this world-class event.”
ABOUT THE 2015 CANADIAN PACIFIC WOMEN’S OPEN
The stars of the LPGA Tour challenged for the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open August 17-23 at The Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam, B.C. The Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, Canada’s National Women’s Open Golf Championship, is proudly sponsored by Canadian Pacific, RBC, WestJet, Molson Canadian 67, TaylorMade adidas Golf, Shaw, TY KU, Santa Carolina Wines, Coca-Cola, Executive Hotels & Resorts, Ford Motor Company, CVS Controls LTD, Sony and the City of Coquitlam. For information visit www.CPwomensopen.com
ABOUT BC CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL AND BC CHILDREN’S HEART CENTRE BC
Children’s Hospital is the province’s only full-service acute-care hospital dedicated to serving close to one million children living in BC and the Yukon. BC Children’s Heart Centre is part of BC Children’s Hospital and provides leadership and excellence in the care of infants and children with congenital and acquired heart disease. This mandate extends from the fetus to early adulthood. A multi-disciplinary team composed of experts in cardiology, cardiac surgery, critical care, anesthesia, nursing, and various allied health fields work together to provide world-class family-centered care to children. Children’s Heart Centre is one of two surgical centres in the Western Canadian Congenital Heart Network, providing care to the four Western Canadian provinces. Each year Children’s Heart Centre performs more than 200 pediatric cardiac operations and another 150 minimally invasive procedures in the hospital’s cardiac catheterization lab. The program is responsible for training medical students, resident doctors and specialists in the field of pediatric cardiology.
Funds raised by BC Children’s Hospital Foundation are used to support BC Children’s Hospital, its research institute and Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children. For more information visit www.bcchf.ca and follow @BCCHF on Twitter.
ABOUT CP HAS HEART
At CP, we know that a railroad may serve as the arteries of a nation, but at its heart is community. That’s why, through CP Has Heart, we’ve already committed more than $6 million dollars to help improve the heart health of men, women and children across North America. And along the way, we’re showing heart whenever we can. Find out more on www.cpr.ca or @CPhasHeart.
ABOUT CANADIAN PACIFIC
Canadian Pacific (TSX:CP)(NYSE:CP) is a transcontinental railway in Canada and the United States with direct links to eight major ports, including Vancouver and Montreal, providing North American customers a competitive rail service with access to key markets in every corner of the globe. CP is growing with its customers, offering a suite of freight transportation services, logistics solutions and supply chain expertise. Visit www.cpr.ca to see the rail advantages of Canadian Pacific.
GOLF CANADA – LOVE THE GAME. GROW THE GAME.
Golf Canada is the National Sports Organization and governing body for golf in Canada representing close to 310,000 golfers at more than 1,400 member clubs across the country. A proud member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, Golf Canada’s mission is to grow participation, excellence and passion in the sport while upholding the integrity and traditions of the game. By investing in the growth of the sport and introducing more participants of all ages to the game, our goal is to be relevant to and respected by all Canadian golf enthusiasts from coast to coast. For more information about what Golf Canada is doing to support golf in your community, visit www.golfcanada.ca.
For further information:
CP
Media
Jeremy Berry
Tel: 403-319-6227
24/7 Media Pager: 855-242-3674
Jeremy_Berry@cpr.ca
BC Children’s Hospital Foundation
Sunny Leung
Tel: 604-875-2503
Cel: 604-816-3127
sleung@bcchf.ca
Golf Canada
Dan Pino
Tel: 416-434-5525
dpino@golfcanada.ca