On Wednesday December 5th, 2023, Project Sunshine Canada held a virtual press conference to announce the launch of TelePlay en français with medical partner Ronald McDonald House Ottawa. The Project Sunshine Canada Team was delighted to host Carolyn Kropp, Representative of John Fraser, MPP for Ottawa South; Kathy Chaumont from the Ontario Trillium Foundation; Brianne Major, Family Services and Volunteer Coordinator for Ronald McDonald House Ottawa; and TelePlay en français Chapter Leaders, Lily Tran and Aila Courty . The new French programming is expected to reach hundreds of francophone children facing medical challenges in Eastern Ontario. The launch of TelePlay en français was made possible thanks to a generous $49,700 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF).
TelePlay en français delivers virtual play to francophone pediatric patients in Ontario while providing bilingual volunteers with the opportunity to use their skills in support of the healing of patients. Present during the press conference, TelePlay en français Chapter Leaders Aila Courty and Lily Tran expressed their gratitude and excitement for the official launch of the program.
TelePlay en français has been a project in development since our first year at university, and as we enter our third year, we're thrilled to see this initiative come to life. As proud Francophones, we are beyond excited that Project Sunshine has extended its impact to include our important pediatric francophone community.”
Aila and Lily’s commitment is to make a meaningful difference in the lives of young Francophones and bring more brightness to their days. Eager to share the healing power of play with these children, they are excited to begin.
TelePlay offers developmentally appropriate play and gaming opportunities to pediatric patients and their families who are dealing with illness and the unknown that comes along with it. TelePlay launched in Canada in April 2021 and since then has reached more than 10,000 pediatric patients. TelePlay programming allows patients to experience the joy of play virtually from in the hospital, or while they recover at home.
During the launch, attendees had the opportunity to try out some TelePlay games, experiencing firsthand what it’s like for pediatric patients to be a TelePlay participant. Smiles and laughs were shared amongst attendees, and closing remarks reiterated the importance of the program and embracing bilingualism in our Canadian programming. In the future, Project Sunshine hopes to build upon the successful launch of TelePlay en français to offer French services for hospitalized children across Ontario.
