Mining for Miracles Launches Annual Pie Throw Campaign to Help BC Kids with Rare Diseases

Mining for Miracles, the BC mining community’s longstanding fundraising campaign for BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, is hosting their annual Celebrity Pie Throw this May in support of the CAUSES Research Clinic, a state-of-the-art diagnostic centre for rare diseases in pediatric patients.

Leaders throughout the mining industry are raising funds for the right to toss the world’s most expensive cream pie at their competitor on Thursday, May 12 at the Vancouver Art Gallery Plaza. Representatives from Goldcorp, Teck, Golder, Kaminak, Fluor, Amec Foster Wheeler, Hatch, Ausenco, Oxygen Capital, PDAC, CIM, MABC and AMEBC are participating this year.

One hundred percent of proceeds will go to completing the development of the CAUSES Research Clinic.  Donate to a pie on BC Children’s Hospital website.

Where the Money Goes

The new CAUSES Research Clinic at BC Children’s Hospital provides genome-wide sequencing to support the accurate and efficient diagnosis of rare genetic diseases in children who would otherwise require numerous tests or might not be diagnosed at all. These services have the potential to save lives and also reduce costs to families and the health-care system.

“Since 1988, the mining industry has come together to raise millions of dollars to support child health in British Columbia,” said Jeff Hanman, Chair of Mining for Miracles. “Investing in the CAUSES Research Clinic is a great example of how Mining for Miracles can have a transformative impact on the lives of children and their families in our province.”

There are 7,000 known rare disorders and the CAUSES Research Clinic will use a single genomic test capable of identifying all of these at once. This may reduce the number of tests required to diagnose a patient’s condition from 10 or more to just one. This has the potential to reduce costs to families and the health-care system.

How to Support Mining for Miracles

The success of Mining for Miracles depends on the generosity of individuals and organizations throughout British Columbia.

Donations can be made through employee and corporate fundraising initiatives or through fundraising events such as Diamond Draw, Jeans Dayâ„¢ on April 28, Teck Celebrity Pie Throw on May 12 or the Slo-Pitch Tournament on May 28-29.

Visit www.miningformiracles.ca for more information and to donate.