Cheers to Giving Back! LCBO Holiday Campaign will raise money for CHEO

LCBO donations help CHEO Money raised by LCBO customers buying holiday cheer, helps CHEO acquire advanced imaging equipment, CTV’s Patricia Boal reports.

Starting the first of December cashiers at the LCBO will be asking if you’d like spend an extra couple of dollars when making your holiday purchase. Money raised locally will go to CHEO

And the face on the Season for Giving Back campaign poster may be a familiar one to CTV viewers. Elissa Mendes, 15, has shared her story on CTV News before. She is also the daughter of TSN 1200 broadcaster Ian Mendes.

Mendes says they are thrilled to be part of the holiday campaign “Elissa, our daughter had a massive cyst in her brain when she was born. She had a pretty intensive and invasive surgery at 9 days old, and then we’ve been back, boy, 75 times, a hundred times, over the course of her 15-years, constantly here for x-rays, MRIS, follow-ups, , essentially CHEO has been a second home for us”

Every year, the money raised from the Season for Giving Back holiday campaign helps fund vital hospital upgrades, helps purchase new equipment, and supports a range of specialized treatments and ground-breaking research. This year that money will go to upgrading x-ray equipment at CHEO. The busy department is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and x-ray technicians see 200 patients each day. New equipment will provide more accurate imaging and reduce wait times.

LCBO customers can donate $2, $5, or $10 in-store while making their purchase. They’re also invited to donate online.

Elissa isn’t old enough to make a trip to the LCBO herself, but now thriving once again after a couple of tough years, she is thrilled to be doing something big for CHEO.

“It was really weird seeing my face on the poster but like I’m so happy that that’s kind of like inspiration for people trying to help CHEO out”

Last year the Season for Giving Back campaign in the Ottawa area raised 747 thousand dollars for CHEO.