TORONTO, ON — September 15, 2026 - While 91 per cent of Canadians surveyed recognize that delays in accessing health care has the potential to negatively impact outcomes for children and youth with disabilities, about one in seven truly understand how limited the specialized pediatric workforce is for families seeking specialized disability care and support. 

This is according to a recent survey by Canadian polling firm Leger and released today by Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital – Canada’s hospital for kids with disabilities. The hospital is entering the final stretch of its historic $100 million Together We Dare fundraising campaign, which is shaping the future of disability health care across Canada by advancing life-changing care, research and innovation for children and youth with disabilities and developmental differences.

The need has never been greater: Today there are only 159 developmental pediatricians serving the more than one million children and youth with disabilities across Canada. Compounding this challenge, one in four is expected to retire within the next three years, deepening an already critical shortage of specialists and threatening access to early diagnosis, care and support for children with disabilities and developmental differences. 

While Canadians understand the importance of timely intervention, many are unaware of the growing demand for specialized disability services and the barriers families face when seeking developmental care, rehabilitation, therapies, and other essential services that can profoundly impact a child's development, independence and quality of life. 

For many families, the shortage of disability health care providers can mean lengthy wait times searching for answers and treatment. That was the reality for 10-year-old Nikhail Mann, who lives with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM), an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks the body's blood vessels, skin and muscles. Before receiving the support he needed at Holland Bloorview, Nikhail and his family spent several months navigating a complex health-care system in order to connect with specialists familiar with his ultra-rare condition.

"When your child is sick and you don't have answers, every day feels critical," said Parmdeep Dhaliwal, Nikhail's mom. "We spent months searching for a diagnosis while Nikhail’s condition continued to deteriorate and trying to find specialists who understood what Nikhail was experiencing. The waiting and uncertainty were incredibly difficult. Access to specialized care has made an enormous difference in Nikhail's life and given us hope, confidence and a path forward. Every family deserves access to that kind of support when they need it most."

Sandra Hawken, president and CEO of the Holland Bloorview Foundation, said Canadians have generously stepped up to support the Together We Dare campaign since its inception – raising $72 million to date. 

And while these donations have allowed Holland Bloorview to train more developmental pediatricians, demand for services continues to grow, underscoring the need for bold investments that improve access to care and accelerate innovation.

As the campaign enters its second year, Hawken is daring even more Canadians to donate as Holland Bloorview advances toward its vision for establishing a Centre for Excellence in Childhood Disability. 

“Behind every wait list is a child who is developing, learning and growing. Access to the right care at the right time can change the trajectory of a child's life,” said Hawken. “It leads to earlier diagnosis, better care and improved quality of life and well-being for the entire family. With Together We Dare, we're inviting Canadians to help build a future where every child and youth with a disability can thrive and participate actively and fully in their communities.”  

Through the Centre for Excellence in Childhood Disability, Hawken adds, “we have an unprecedented opportunity to extend Holland Bloorview's impact beyond our walls to support children from coast-to-coast-to-coast.” 

Holland Bloorview is already training more specialized health care providers, and accelerating, spreading and scaling some of the groundbreaking research, technology and care innovations developed by teams at Canada’s largest pediatric rehabilitation hospital. This includes everything from brain computer interface technology to cutting-edge 3D-printed orthotics and prosthetics that are changing the game when it comes to how kids communicate, move and grow.

Holland Bloorview is daring Canadians to join the movement and help build a future where every child and youth with a disability has access to the care, support and opportunities they need to thrive.

To learn more, or to make a donation, visit togetherwedare.ca. 

About the survey
Leger is the largest Canadian-owned full-service market research firm. An online survey of 1,514 Canadians aged 18+ was completed from July 31 - August 3, 2026, using Leger’s online panel. Leger's online panel has approximately 500,000 members nationally and has a retention rate of 90 per cent. A probability sample of the same size would yield a margin of error of ±2.5%, 19 times out of 20.