Growing beyond for children means understanding what makes them unique so we can help them reach their full potential. This vision is the cornerstone of precision health care. Recently, CHU Sainte-Justine took a giant step forward in the precision care revolution.
The recent announcement of a historic partnership with The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto—driven by a transformational $50 million philanthropic investment from the Azrieli Foundation—marks the beginning of a new era of pediatric care in Canada, one that promises a future where every child in Canada receives health care that is as unique as their own DNA.
What is Precision Child Health?
Precision Child Health is a personalized, comprehensive approach to medicine that integrates a variety of information about the child, such as their genetics and living environment. By relying on advanced tools such as genomics and data science, this approach allows us to:
- Make faster, more accurate diagnoses;
- Provide safer treatments with fewer harmful side effects;
- Develop innovative therapies for some of today’s major medical challenges: cancers, neurodevelopmental disorders, rare diseases, and more.
Two leaders in pediatric medicine, one shared vision
Together, CHU Sainte-Justine and SickKids treat over 60% of the most critical cases in Canada. Establishing a pipeline for sharing expertise and resources, this new partnership will give a huge boost to our hospitals and research centres, and create new and innovative synergies.
“The partnership is already well underway. It’s being carried out in a spirit of sharing and open science, with involvement from families so they can provide input on the best ways to meet their needs. Our goal is to demonstrate the effectiveness of precision health care and to implement it on a national scale,” explains Dr. Jacques Michaud, director of research at CHU Sainte-Justine.
Collaborative projects that are paving the way for the future of pediatric care
The first round of the partnership’s Catalyst Program, which provides financial support for collaborations between researchers at Sainte-Justine and SickKids to advance Precision Child Health, recently awarded $2.4 million to eight innovative projects.
These initiatives are centred on the partnership’s three technological pillars: genomics, innovative therapies, and data. Together, they will drive important advancements to improve the diagnosis and overall management of patients, and give them access to more precise and individualized care.
We are deeply grateful to the Azrieli Foundation for making this health care revolution possible. Soon, with their support and that of other community members investing in precision health care, the solutions we develop will transform the lives of children and their families across Canada—and beyond.
