TORONTO — A colourful, kid-friendly website that delivers information about children’s health to families is receiving a boost from Ottawa.
Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq was at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto on Friday to announce the government’s contribution of $4.5 million over three years to AboutKidsHealth.ca.
“Not only will AboutKidsHealth survive, it will expand to serve even more Canadians,” said Aglukkaq.
The website, which was launched by the hospital in 2004 and receives more than 140,000 visitors a month, includes children’s health information for parents as well as animation and games for children.
It also provides an online encyclopedia on everyday health issues, and uses illustrations and easy information to help children learn about their health.
For 13-year-old Samir Silvestri, the website has given him more information about his diabetes.
“It has taught me what happens inside the body when you don’t have insulin,” he said, smiling at having the first chance to show the health minister how the website works. “You’ve got all the support you need, like you’re at the hospital.”
But the young teen couldn’t resist showcasing the games on the website.
“It’s hilarious. There’s games, that cute little blood cell thing,” he said, referring to a cartoon character introducing one of the games.
The money will give the website financial stability and help it expand to serve more Canadians, said Aglukkaq.
She called it an important tool for parents, citing research that shows more than 68 per cent of parents turn to the Internet for medical advice.
The website will be available in several languages and will help serve vulnerable populations in rural and northern communities.