GTA student hosts inclusive Halloween dance-a-thon at Holland Bloorview
Spooktacular event raises $46,000 to support the hospital’s highest priority needs
Shiloh Terner wants to make Halloween more accessible for kids with disabilities – and set out to do exactly that by organizing the hospital’s first-ever Halloween dance-a-thon for inpatient clients on October 30. “Not everyone can celebrate Halloween equally. It is incumbent on every one of us to ensure that Halloween is accessible for all children, regardless of ability,” says Shiloh, a Holland Bloorview youth volunteer and a Grade 12 student at St. Clement’s school in Toronto.
Inpatients decked out in costumes joined in on the spook-tacular fun on October 30. The inclusive event offered something for everyone – including dancing and entertainment. After the inpatient portion of the dance-a-thon was finished, more than 150 highschool students from across the GTA joined the sold-out event to dance the night away while raising funds for Holland Bloorview.
“When I launched this initiative with Holland Bloorview, I set a target of $25,000. It is beyond my wildest dreams that we have met that target and surpassed it raising a total of $46,000 and counting. It just goes to show that the young people of this city are engaged, we care and we are looking to give back and make a difference. I am proud that we will be able to make Halloween a little more inclusive,” says Shiloh.
Shiloh says she’s had many opportunities over the years to visit the hospital to get to know the important work of Holland Bloorview. In addition to being on the virtual Youth Volunteer Committee for four years, Shiloh is also an advocate for youth mental health, highlighted by her work with Upward and Onward (UPOW), a social impact enterprise she founded in 2021 that designs and sells clothing that raises awareness about mental illness, and promotes well-being.
“We are so grateful to Shiloh for organizing this amazing event and for all of the work that this incredible young woman has put into ensuring it was such a success. The funds raised – nearly double the original target – will go directly to support some of the hospital’s highest priority needs – including mental health programs, arts and recreation and our advocacy work around disability awareness and inclusion,” says Sandra Hawken, President & CEO, Holland Bloorview Foundation.
