Healing with Smiles was born from a deep desire to lift spirits and spark hope in those bravely battling serious illnesses, offering comfort for their hearts and minds when they need it most. Our mission is to stand beside patients, helping them discover courage, resilience, and love along every step of their journey.

President’s Message

Healing with Smiles is committed to our purpose of spreading our message of HOPE to bolster the spirits and ultimately the well being of anyone living with a life-challenging illness.  We’re all about basic, old fashioned values, looking out for one another, be it family, friends, or the broader community around us.

The launch of our new website marks our 10 year anniversary.    We want to honour our past and to share our plans for the future.

We are so very grateful to all of our supporters.  We couldn’t have accomplished the tremendous amount we have, over the past 10 years, without YOU!  A big, heartfelt thanks to those special people who helped with making a difference in our community.

We’re also looking to the future by expanding our programs to include Therapy Dogs and Chemo Comfort Bags.

Over the past decade, we have had so much fun wrapping our #LittlePurpleHippos and delivering them to hospitals and homes for the aged.

The simple act of kindness – of gifting Buttercup, our Little Purple Hippo, has made a bigger impact than we could have imagined.

The unfortunate fact is that many of our supporters don’t see the results of their act of kindness.

We’ve received so many “Little Hippo” stories over the years of how Buttercup has inspired their recipients long after their treatment has ended.  A quick glance, seeing Buttercup on a bedroom dresser or tucked away on a closet shelf, takes them back to the journey that they’ve completed and the realization that with a little hope and a community behind them, anything is possible and miracles do happen.

We believe that an act of kindness can be as simple as giving a smile to someone who’s had a bad day.  For me, Buttercup inspires that smile.

During this difficult time, it’s human acts of kindness that matter the most and can make the biggest impact.

Together, lets work on opening hearts and minds to truly believe that all lives matter and by being kind to each other, we can inspire hope, one person at a time.

In the words of Helen Keller:  “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

~ Debbie Martin, President

Erin and Shaun Friel – Our Accountants

We’d like to thank Erin and Shaun for their continuous support. Without their financial leadership and expertise, Healing with Smiles could not have grown to this level.

Buttercup

She loves to give hugs

Birthday:   August 31, 2008

Favourite Colour:  Pink (she loves her pink dancing shoes)

Favourite Song:  “Build Me Up Buttercup” (her name-sake song)

Favourite Hockey Team:  Toronto Maple Leafs

Bernie

He loves driving fast cars, like the Hippo-Mobile

Birthday:  February 14, 2009

Favourite Colour:  Purple (the same colour as the Hippo-Mobile of course)

Favourite Movie:  Madagascar  (He loves Gloria)

Favourite Hockey Team:  New York Islanders