A Sudbury family made a major donation to the NEO Kids Foundation at Health Sciences North this week.
Russ Boyles says when he heard the concept of Northeastern Ontario’s hub for specialized children’s care ten years ago, he wanted to become an advocate and a fundraiser.
Russ and Roberta Boyles donated $250,000 to the NEO Kids Foundation Tuesday and were joined by their seven grandchildren for the cheque presentation.
"Kids are going to be around for a long time to come. If we don't look after our kids, it does not speak well to the community." said Russ.
On top of the generous donation, the Boyles have donated their time at the hospital.
Russ has also been instrumental in recruiting other donors for the foundation, resulting in over $3-million being raised over the years.
Patricia Mills is the President of NEO Kids Foundation.
"None of their children have had serious diseases, but at least three of them have had to see a paediatrician and you know they've had to leave town for treatment. So, that's the typical family. So, they understand firsthand how important it is that these children should be treated closer to home." said Mills.
"Having to travel with children to southern Ontario to get treatment causes major hardships on families. Sudbury is our home, so we just want, we've been very fortunate in our life, and we want to give back to the community." said Roberta.
The Boyles say by going public with their donation, they hope that others in the community will also be encouraged to donate to the NEO Kids, which has raised over $6.5-million total in the last three years.
