As a result of considerable generosity from the community and the support of a number of corporate partners, the Sens Foundation raised $606,183 during tonight’s seventh annual Roger’s House Telethon presented by CN. Monies raised will enable the Sens Foundation to meet its ongoing funding commitment to the region’s only pediatric respite and palliative care centre. Donations were collected through phone and web pledges, text messages, in-game contributions and cheques presented to the foundation by local organizations who hosted events.

Senators owner Eugene Melnyk challenged viewers to help push the telethon past the $500,000 mark by matching all pledges made during the first intermission. “Each year, this telethon serves to remind us all how important Roger’s House is as place of love and compassion,” said Melnyk, a founding sponsor of Roger’s House. “The telethon funds we raised together as a caring community are a small gesture of thanks to the children of Roger’s House who show us why joy, hope and happiness should be in our lives daily.”

“We’re thankful for the donations made this evening,” said Sens Foundation president Danielle Robinson. “We recently committed an additional $100,000 per year over the next two years to Roger’s House, bringing our annual commitment to $850,000. These funds will ensure the ‘house that love built’ is there for families during what can be the longest and most difficult journey of their lives. On behalf of those families, I would like to thank everyone who made a donation, held or participated in an event, as well as our sponsors, most notably our title sponsor CN, who helped us raise the much-needed funds.”

“It’s unbelievable,” said Roger’s House executive director Lloyd Cowin when asked about the results. “As we said repeatedly during the telethon, we can’t always change the destination for critically ill children but we can make their journey a little easier. Every donor, volunteer and corporate sponsor who helped earlier this evening should be proud of the difference they will make in the lives of the families we serve.”

The telethon was broadcast live on Rogers Sportsnet as the Ottawa Senators hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Place earlier this evening. Rob Faulds of Rogers Sportsnet and CTV Ottawa’s Leanne Cusack served as hosts of the annual event.

Roger’s House, the charity of choice of the Sens Foundation, provides a comprehensive pediatric respite and palliative care program with elements of outreach, residential hospice, pain and symptom management; grief and bereavement counselling and research. Since opening its doors in May 2006, Roger’s House has had more than 950 admissions. Children and youth are invited to come to Roger’s House for support, care and assessment by the specialized team of medical professionals. Immediate family are encouraged to stay in the facility to receive support and education in relation to their child’s progressive illness. The goal of the stay is to foster the quality of family life.

Watch below for a spercial message from Mike Fisher and his Roger's House tour guide Chris Harkness: