No Child Without® Second Year Anniversary Event
"Every school, Every child"
Robert Ridge
President and CEO
With increasing numbers of Canadian children suffering from medical conditions such as allergies, asthma, diabetes, and epilepsy, more parents than ever worry about their child's safety while out of the home. Many serious conditions can be life-threatening if emergencies are not treated appropriately. National Child Day, November 20th, is a day we consider how to protect our children and ensure they have all the opportunities we, as a society, can give them.
No Child Without is a MedicAlert charitable program that has allowed more than 20,000 children with medical conditions in 3,000 elementary schools across Canada to be protected with free MedicAlert coverage. The program includes a free medical identification bracelet and electronic health record with 24/7 access so that critical health information is quickly available during a medical emergency. Unfortunately, more than 3,600 schools remain on the waiting list for access to this program which means 56,000 children remain vulnerable.
This National Child Day, MedicAlert is celebrating the two-year anniversary of No Child Without. Launched on November 20, 2006, we set an aggressive goal: to have the program implemented in all 12,000 of Canada's elementary schools over the next five years. We knew from the outset the demand would be strong but it was far greater than we imagined. Immediately following the launch our office received calls from more than 3,500 interested parents and school administrators.
Children are the most vulnerable persons in our society, especially during a medical emergency. No Child Without provides safety, security, and peace of mind for children and their parents. It creates a culture of acceptance of medical issues and improves the emotional and social health of students by making child safety an issue in and out of the school setting. Although schools already have excellent health information management systems in place, the MedicAlert No Child Without program acts as a complement to these programs.
As President of MedicAlert, I often hear stories about how No Child Without has helped improve the quality of life for families. Victoria Robins, for example, has two very active sons. One of her sons, Josh, is fatally allergic to dairy, fish and bee stings. Josh's symptoms are sometimes delayed, so reactions can be unpredictable.
Victoria had to keep a close eye on Josh before she enrolled him in No Child Without. She tells us that she now feels safer when he's at school, sporting events, or on field trips that Victoria can't attend. The general awareness that No Child Without has promoted is focused on children's safety. For example, in Josh's school, the teachers and principal are aware of his allergies because of the knowledge and medical information MedicAlert provides.
Outings with children can be unpredictable and MedicAlert protection acts as an effective safeguard. Robin, for example, is a 7 year-old autistic child who doesn't speak. Robin got lost while shopping with his mother and a shop keeper found him crying. Unable to find out what was wrong with him, the shop keeper noticed he was wearing a MedicAlert bracelet. He called the hotline and MedicAlert called his mother's cell phone to tell her where he was located. Robin and his mother were reunited in 20 minutes. That kind of coordination and time saved is priceless to both child and parent. MedicAlert really does give peace of mind.
As a charity MedicAlert relies on the generosity of individuals and government to support the No Child Without program. We know there is more to be done. We call on provincial governments to join us, as we work to protect every child at every school across Canada. Stable provincial funding in Ontario, for example, would mean that 76,000 additional students with medical conditions would benefit from the program.
We need your help to protect our children from harm. No Child Without can be an important part of our government's healthy schools strategy. National Child Day is a great reminder to us to act. Encourage your Member of Parliament and your MPP to support funding for No Child Without. Help us achieve our vision to establish the program as a permanent, enduring and self-sustaining program that provides protection to children in schools across Ontario.
