For every dollar the Chip’s Not Dead Yet charity run raises, Chip Wilson will match that amount up to $150,000! “When sick kids get better they run, play, and most of all they appreciate the fact that they’re alive. What if we all did that?”

A couple of months ago, Ianiv & I had a chance to tour the BC Children’s Hospital and to learn how charity dollars are put to work. It was an eye-opening experience. A hospital for kids has to be prepared for premature babies as well as adult-sized 18-year-old kids… that takes a lot of equipment and a lot of specialized knowledge and care. Imagine buying not just one bed size (like in a regular hospital), but many sizes. Same goes for all the equipment – just look at the various sizes of blood pressure cuffs pictured to the right! So, though BC Children’s Hospital may fund-raise a lot, and may do well in those efforts, consider that the Hospital is more than 3 times as costly to run than a regular hospital!

I had honestly never thought of all of the complexities involved in treating sick kids. The hospital staff – who were amazing! – have to know how to not only treat these sick kids, but also to care for their emotional and developmental needs as well. That changes with each age group. The BC Children’s Hospital shared with us how important it is to have parents involved with their child’s care, although the ICU had no room for parents to sleep with their children. The hospital is far too small for the needs of the entire province. A new hospital is being developed, but it’s a few years away.

One of the things that shocked me most was to learn that doctors who specialize in treating kids actually get paid less, on average, than those who treat adults. Obviously, with so many more adults in the world, it’s more “profitable” to treat them – though treating kids takes a great deal more specialized training. This fact isn’t really related to the Hospital’s charity needs, but it stuck with me.

If you haven’t yet signed up for the Chip’s Not Dead Yet charity event, you can do so here! There are also some great prizes to win, as well as a fun-day filled with music (Daniel Wesley, A Current Swell, Armchair Cynics, and Run GMC.) and more! Don’t want to run? Try the Couch Potato Wave!

Ianiv & I sadly won’t be in town for the event – we’ll be in Victoria – but it should be a great event if you can go!

June 20, 2009 will mark the second year for this crazy charity race. The race day is a one-mile uphill race that draws out some of the world’s best runners (for the generous winning prize) as well as superheroes and bridesmaids. That’s right – it’s a theme race! There are several “theme waves” to the race – from the Pooch Parade to the Superhero Half Mile or the “fun” High Heel Dash.

The race was set up to benefit BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. Chip explained how creating a race like this had the potential to raise a great deal more awareness and funds for the hospital than simply him donating each year (though Chip will match entry fee contributions up to $150,000). The goal of the race is to raise $1 million annually in perpetuity. And Chip is taking social media into heart as part of the strategy to get there. Memelabs is working with them on their social media strategy, including a contest for best “theme wave” idea.

Last night we had the chance to bounce some ideas off of Chip and his team about how social media could help build buzz for the event – it was a great discussion to be a part of. There’s so much we can do to leverage our “influence” online towards positive things like this race. It was a fun opportunity to offer ideas about how new technologies can enhance the entire experience before, during and after the race. I look forward to seeing what comes of it.

If you’re interested in being a part of the race, you can register for $30 (cheap!) and can kick-start your own fundraising efforts now. Whether you take part in the race seriously, sign up for the family wave, or just go to the fun zone for the street party, it’s a great local event to keep in mind for the summer.

The event will take place on June 20th on West 10th in Point Grey. Stay tuned to the CNDY Twitter for more updates.