STATEMENT, FAQ and POLICY
November 14, 2019
LHSC has a deep appreciation to the TLC Foundation for its generosity to the patients of our Children’s Hospital. However, as a health-care organization, it is imperative that we balance the health, safety, and privacy of our most vulnerable patients – infants and children – with the great generosity of donor organizations such as the TLC Foundation.
Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) has a gift donation policy that requires all donations to be facilitated through the Children’s Health Foundation. Prior to distribution by the health-care teams, items are assessed for safety and appropriateness, and delivery to patients is coordinated with members of the Children’s Hospital care team and family at a time that best suits the patient’s needs.
This practice regarding gifts in-kind is aligned with that of many organizations that support the needs and wishes of children who are ill. For safety, privacy, and health reasons, donors are not allowed to distribute gifts directly to patients and families and we are simply asking the TLC Foundation to follow the same policy and process that we ask of all of our generous gift in-kind donors.
We continue to encourage Mr. Larizza to donate gifts to the Children’s Health Foundation for distribution by the health-care teams to children in our care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Leo Larizza banned from Children’s Hospital and LHSC?
Mr. Larizza is banned from visiting the hospital unless he agrees to follow our policy that all gifts and donations must be facilitated through the Children’s Health Foundation. He is not banned from receiving care at LHSC for himself.
Can the TLC Foundation still provide gifts?
Yes, we continue to encourage Mr. Larizza to follow the organization’s process for donating gifts via the Children’s Health Foundation with distribution by the health-care teams to children in our care.
Why can’t TLC deliver gifts personally to patients.
We are aligning our practice to that of many organizations that support the needs and wishes of children who are ill. As a health-care organization, it is imperative that we balance the health, safety, and privacy of our most vulnerable patients – infants and children – with the great generosity of donor organizations such as the TLC Foundation. As such, donors are not allowed to distribute gifts directly to patients and families and we are simply asking the TLC Foundation to follow the same policy and process that we ask of all of our generous gift in-kind donors.
None of our many other donors have requested personal access to the patients.
Will the TLC foundation be prohibited from distributing gifts throughout the rest of the year or only at Christmas?
The policy is in place for in-kind donations and gifts at all times.
If families are asking Mr. Larizza to visit and bring gifts, why is that a privacy issue?
We have to balance the valued feedback from patients and families who want to engage the TLC Foundation with our obligation to protect the health, safety, privacy, and wishes of all patients and families. Ultimately, this decision reflects a desire to ensure compliance with our policies that are designed to protect the health, safety, and privacy of all patients at Children’s Hospital.
What would you say to families who are grateful for Mr. Larizza’s support and want him to visit their children?
We are also deeply appreciative of the TLC Foundation’s generosity. While Mr. Larizza is not permitted to be in the hospital at this time as he has indicated he will not abide by our policy, we do continue to encourage Mr. Larizza to follow the hospital’s process for donating gifts via the Children’s Health Foundation with distribution by the health-care teams to children in our care.
Will families be permitted to approve Mr. Larizza as a visitor specifically for purposes of visiting their child? If no, why not?
As Mr. Larizza is acting as an agent of his Foundation during these visits and has indicated that he will not abide by our policy, he will not be permitted to visit children in the hospital.
Children's Hospital Gifts In Kind Policy
Click to access our policy - Gifts In Kind Policy
