Every day, there are families with children receiving a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy and countless other neurological disorders. 

Three to Be’s fifth Annual Stems of Hope Gala, held Nov. 8 at Toronto’s Kool Haus, gathered more than 700 community supporters and raised nearly $500,000 for research into these conditions.

“Imagine being unable to make a sound. Imagine being unable to move, to nod your head, to wave your hand. Imagine being unable to tell anyone around you that you are in pain, cold, thirsty, or in need of a hug,” said Dr. Tom Chau, vice-president and director of research at the Bloorview Research Institute.

Chau develops novel access solutions for children with severe physical disabilities. “With funding from Three to Be, this no longer needs to be the reality for the tens of thousands of children and youth living with severe disabilities in Ontario alone,” he said. 

This year’s gala theme, “Thrive,” celebrated advancements made since the inaugural gala in 2010. To date, Three To Be has raised $2.5 million, making possible innovative research supporting stem cell and body-talk initiatives, education therapies, programs such as the growth of the Parent Advocacy Link (PAL) and critical supports for children with a wide spectrum of neurological disorders. 

“When I stood on stage in 2010 at our first Stems of Hope Gala, I spoke about a vision for children affected by neurological disorders. It was just a seed of an idea and no one really knew just how far we would go,” said Dana Florence, founder of Three To Be.

Three To Be was inspired by Florence’s triplets, Taylor, Cole, and Brody, now six years old, each of whom were diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a neurological condition that has no cure.

“Three To Be has grown so far beyond just my family’s experience. We represent the collective story of hundreds of families that share an ultimate goal: for our children to live full and rewarding lives with opportunity beyond measure,” Florence said with pride.

“My kids are doing great and are now in Grade 1. All three are really thriving and showing strengths in their own ways,” She told The CJN.

“Taylor is the eternal princess who won’t leave the house without her purse. Brody is continuing to amaze us with his ability to communicate without using words. He is learning how to operate a computer at school using a switch. Cole is doing incredibly well with reading and typing on his computer and shows us every day that anything is possible.”

Chau spoke to the crowd about the importance of communications for kids with neurological disorders.

“Communication is indeed a fundamental human right. Your support of the Three To Be Foundation is giving, for the first time, a voice to many of these silent children. Your support has allowed non-verbal children to say I love you to their moms and dads for the very first time. Your generosity is allowing kids with severe disabilities to tell their story, to share their emotions and, most importantly, to become the unique, precious, and irreplaceable individuals they were meant to be.”

The gala was co-hosted by Global Toronto’s Anthony Farnell, and Cheryl Hickey of Entertainment Tonight Canada. Entertainment included a live art show by Jessica Gorlicky and musical performances by Kardinal Offishall and Dwayne Gretzky. 

For more information, visit www.threetobe.org.