Our stories

Crafted with care: Volunteers build adaptive furniture for CHEO kids

In workshops across Ottawa and the surrounding region, 13 dedicated woodworking volunteers are hard at work—crafting customized therapy equipment for children in CHEO’s Children’s Treatment Centre (CTC). They build in their own time, from garages and basements, transforming raw materials into tools that help kids gain comfort, mobility and independence.

This unique program, supported by a specialized fund in partnership with the CHEO Foundation, ensures each piece of equipment is made...

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CHEO, Ontario government break ground on new Integrated Treatment Centre

The new CHEO Integrated Treatment Centre is one step closer to reality as construction begins.

Construction of the new, fully accessible and state-of-the-art treatment centre began with a ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, April 24, 2025. The centre will provide integrated and coordinated care under one roof to better serve children and youth living with complex medical, developmental, behavioural, and mental health needs. 

“Today’s groundbreaking is another step in our commitment to protecting...

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Olympian and former CHEO patient cherishes role helping kids with diabetes

Every time Hannah Schmidt steps into her skis, the Canadian Olympian readies to compete against the world’s best in women’s ski cross with a little more weighing on her mind.

Schmidt, an Ottawa native, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 12, and received care at CHEO for six years.

Now 30, she must prepare for each competition with a brighter spotlight on her diet — and that’s become a good thing.

"It's made me a better athlete in the long run," said Schmidt.

As a teenager, though, the stigma of her...

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CHEO readies for construction of Integrated Treatment Centre

After years of planning and hard work, CHEO has reached a significant milestone by finalizing the design for the new Integrated Treatment Centre on its Smyth Road campus as shovels enter the ground spring 2025.

The treatment centre, which will be built in front of the main CHEO building, will significantly enhance care and coordination while improving access to services for children and youth living with complex medical, developmental, behavioural, and mental health needs. 

This state-of-the-art, six-storey,

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Specialized CHEO clinic enhances care and support for families

CHEO has launched a specialized weekly community clinic that brings care and support closer to neurodiverse children and youth, and their families.

Hunter Nicholas, 13, lives with autism and has an extreme needle phobia. That means getting his annual vaccines has been traumatic.

His mom, Ananda, wanted a better solution, and she found it at a weekly clinic run by CHEO's Extensive Needs Service (ENS) in partnership with family physician,Dr. Nicole Shadbolt.

The clinic’s collaborative format provided more support, tools and...

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