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Our Team - Meet Student Team SickKids

Student Team SickKids is an exciting new initiative that connects youth with our fundraising community.

The four engaging and dynamic team members are Leila, Jenine, Paul and Elisabeth. Each has a meaningful connection to SickKids through personal experiences. They are incredibly active members of the SickKids community and have collectively performed 12 years of volunteer service at SickKids.

This summer they took on the new challenge of representing SickKids Foundation at community events in and around the GTA. They played a vital role in engaging event participants in SickKids on a deeper level by sharing their personal SickKids experience.

Leila

Leila is a 3rd year Biochemistry Major at the University of Toronto , and has been volunteering at SickKids for the past four years, with an opportunity to experience five different placements within the hospital. Leila currently volunteers once a week on the 8 th floor, where she enjoys conversing and spending time with patients.

Leila

Leila

Leila lost her sister to Osteosarcoma (a bone cancer) at SickKids in 2003, and this experience motivated her to devote her life to improving a patient's experience while battling an illness. Leila has witnessed the impact of the environment on the quality of life of someone who is seriously ill, especially during the healing and recovery process. Leila has also volunteered to be in a documentary entitled "Kids Care", which is geared to helping siblings and parents deal with the loss of a loved one to cancer. This documentary is currently touring across Canada and Leila is traveling with the film, facilitating question and answer periods with audiences.

Leila is very eager to help raise awareness in her community about the importance of giving to SickKids, and to being a part of Student Team SickKids.

Jenine

Jenine is a 3rd year Human Biology student at the University of Toronto , and is currently volunteering in the Emergency department at SickKids.

Jenine

Jenine

Jenine has been a volunteer at the hospital for five years, and has previously worked in the Orthopaedic and Eye Clinics, General Surgery, and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Jenine's brother is a former patient of SickKids, and was treated for a condition called ITP, characterized by a low platelet count. The doctors believed at first that it might have been due to leukemia. Jenine, although very young at the time, observed the way in which her brother was treated and decided that she wanted to be a part of that. She saw how compassionate, caring and gentle the doctors and nurses were, and she ultimately knew she wanted to become a doctor.

Currently, she still holds that vision and is working towards attending medical school in the next couple of years to one day work as a paediatrician at SickKids. Jenine has been the Summer Team Leader for Volunteer Resources, a member of the Student Leadership Advisory Committee and is now the Chairperson for that committee. She has also been an active member on the Volunteer Advisory Committee/Volunteer Action Group at SickKids.

To enhance her education of the hospital, Jenine has attended workshops, seminars and focus groups about programs and hospital issues. She believes that by working for Student Team SickKids not only will she be a part of making SickKids the best children's hospital, but she will get the opportunity to share her admiration, respect and appreciation for the staff, volunteers, and scientists who work for SickKids. Hopefully, her strong belief in SickKids will help others believe and give.

Paul

Paul is a 2nd year Music student at McGill University , and is a former patient of SickKids.

Paul

Paul

Between the ages of two and six years old, Paul had chronic ear infections, and had consistent restorative surgery to his hearing. Paul now has near-perfect hearing as a result of the work of SickKids doctors.

Paul has performed quite a few concerts, including a special sold out performance for homelessness at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto. Paul is really looking forward to being a part of Student Team SickKids this summer. He holds SickKids very close to his heart, and appreciates the care he was given, and the caliber of the doctors and nurses at SickKids.

Liz

Liz is a 2nd year Bachelor of Arts student at Guelph University. Elisabeth did her high school co-op placement at SickKids and has been a volunteer on and off ever since.

Liz

Liz

Liz was treated at SickKids when she was very young numerous times in our Emergency Room. Liz remembers the way she was cared for by the doctors and nurses, and says she liked the atmosphere of the hospital. Liz has a great sense of humour and is very ambitious and energetic. She spent last summer working with Tennis Canada for the Rogers Cup, and has proven she can work under pressure, especially when the tournament was rained out last year. Liz was on the front line dealing with ticket holders and worked hard to ensure that patrons were satisfied, considering the circumstances.

Liz has a great background working with children at Crestwood and Havergal summer camps, as well as a retail background, working for Sporting Life.

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