Student-led Coda initiative offers gifts to hopsitalized children at Montreal’s Saint-Justine
It was looking a lot like Christmas in July at Montreal’s Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine this July, where hundreds of gift bags were filled for young patients. This initiative was led by students from Coda, a non-profit organization formed by university and CEGEP students, including from McGill, in official collaboration with the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) and the Fondation québécoise du cancer (FQC).
Volunteers from Coda gathered at Ste-Justine to bring festive cheer and support to hospitalized children. Around 50 members dedicated their time on July 19 to assemble 250 gift bags for children in various departments, including Hematology-Oncology, Surgery-Trauma, Intensive Care, General Pediatrics, Eating Disorders and Child Psychiatry. Gift bags were filled to the brim with stuffed animals, toys, colouring books, stickers and markers.
Founded by Patrick Jaar and two close friends at the onset of the pandemic, Coda was inspired by the loss of Patrick’s aunt to cancer. The organization’s name, Coda, is a tribute to his late aunt, who was affectionately known by this name. What started as a small effort to honour her memory has now blossomed into a significant movement, encompassing 13 academic institutions across Quebec and Ontario, including every faculty of medicine in Quebec.
Coda’s Communications Director, McGill medical student Alexandre Siou, expressed pride in the organization’s expansion. “This big growth really just shows our students’ dedication to our cause and the impact we’ve had on our community. We initially aimed to support young cancer patients in children’s hospitals, but we quickly realized that our massive network could actually extend our reach to many departments, bringing happiness and comfort to even more children in need.”
This year marks the third edition of the gift bag initiative, which began two years ago at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and the Montreal Children’s Hospital, and which has consistently brought joy to over 200 hospitalized children each year. This year, the initiative extended to Sainte-Justine, where the dedication of the volunteers was evident as they worked tirelessly to ensure that each gift bag would bring a smile to a child’s face.
On July 25th, the hospital’s “Noël du campeur” distribution event saw five members of the Coda team don elf caps and winter hats to personally deliver the hundreds of gift bags. The addition of Santa Claus in summer vacation mode and the support from Sainte-Justine volunteers only enhanced the festive atmosphere. Children and parents were beaming as they received their goodies, providing them with a delightful distraction and creating lasting memories for the families and hospital staff alike. From, the smiles and laughter this event brought, it was clear that one Christmas celebration a year is simply not enough!
For more information about Coda and its upcoming events, please visit their website (https://teamcoda.org/) or follow their updates on Instagram (@coda.css).
