New book chronicles the history of The Hospital for Sick Children

By Katie Sullivan, Intern, Communications and Public Affairs

On December 5, 2016, SickKids hosted the book launch for SickKids: The History of The Hospital for Sick Children. Written by McGill history professor Dr. David Wright, with a foreword by former SickKids President and CEO Mary Jo Haddad, the book chronicles the trials and triumphs that have led SickKids to become Canada’s largest paediatric centre and a world leader in child health.

From a rented room in downtown Toronto to the development of our newest facility on Bay Street, the Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, SickKids: The History of The Hospital for Sick Children takes readers through the compelling story of the hospital and its major historical milestones, all within the context of the changing medical practice, research and education in Canada.

“You can’t even begin to understand the history of medicine in Canada without knowing the scientific and social history of what is arguably its most significant medical institution, Toronto’s famous Hospital for Sick Children,” says Ian Brown, journalist and author. “To do that, you simply have to read SickKids, David Wright’s crisp, clear-eyed, and deliciously readable history. In Wright’s knowledgeable and unflinching hands, the great hospital becomes a civilization of its own.”

Founded by Elizabeth McMaster, SickKids has been home to incredible clinical advancements and discoveries including the pioneering milk pasteurization program, the creation of Pablum to treat infant malnutrition, the ‘Iron Lung’ ventilator for polio treatment, the Mustard Procedure for blue babies, and the discovery of the gene that causes cystic fibrosis.

The book is available for purchase at the hospital’s 5Fifty5 gift shop (555 University Ave., Atrium), from the University of Toronto Press website, and at bookstores across the city.

Related U of T article: A SickKids Perspective