The Jonathan Brown Foundation is pleased to once again host “Jonny’s Gold Ribbon Gala” at the Hamilton Convention Centre on November 9th, 2024. This year, our gala is in support of pediatric palliative care and the new Keaton’s House Paul Paletta Children’s Hospice.

Our region, which includes the greater Hamilton area, Brantford, Burlington, Oakville, Milton, Cambridge, Kitchener- Waterloo, and Niagara is the only one in Ontario with a world-class children’s hospital but no children’s hospice to complement existing medical and social programs. The reality is that end-of-life care for children is provided almost exclusively within the clinical hospital setting or through complicated contracted home supports and family caregivers.

The Brown family know firsthand the life-changing impact of receiving a terminal diagnosis of a child. Jonathan Brown was only 17 years old when he was diagnosed with cancer and 19 years old when he succumbed to the disease. Due to the complexity of Jonathan’s medical needs, there was no option but to spend his final days in a hospital, far from the comfort of home, surrounded by medical equipment, unfamiliar sounds and unfamiliar faces. If a facility such as Keaton’s House existed, Jonathan’s last days would have been spent in a peaceful setting with his family surrounding him and 24-hour care readily accessible. It is our wish that no child, regardless of age, is deprived of exceptional end-of-life care.

The Jonathan Brown Foundation is so pleased that Hamilton, under the direction of Kemp Care Network, is building this new state-of-the-art facility.

Jonny’s Gold Ribbon Gala aims to raise both awareness and financial support for this crucial initiative and we are thrilled to be targeting our fundraising efforts on the development of a teen room, specially designed for the unique needs and preferences of teenagers like Jonny!

We invite you to join our efforts by attending our gala and supporting this cause.