Another notable, exciting event our Family Engagement Team is leading this month includes our "Adolescent Transition Program Year-End Celebration." Designed for youth ages 15 to 21, we want to honour the end of the school year and take a moment to celebrate all you have achieved since September! Additionally, we are planning a relaxed, sensory-friendly visit at Black Creek Pioneer Village, a self-care-focused Caregiver Café and many others. Continue reading below to learn more about our upcoming events and how you can participate.

Also, on Thursday, June 19, from 4 to 6 p.m., we are hosting our 2024-25 Annual General Meeting (AGM) at The Jerry Coughlan Building, and I invite you to join us! It will be an evening of reflection and celebration, as we honour Grandview Kids’ achievements in the last fiscal year. In addition to our Annual Report and awards presentations, we will welcome Anthony Lue as our keynote speaker for the event. An accomplished Durham Region athlete, entrepreneur and accessibility ambassador, Anthony’s story is one of resilience, possibility and hope, and we look forward to having Anthony join us to share his story at our inaugural AGM at The Jerry Coughlan Building. Please click here to view the event program and register for the AGM (registration is required). I look forward to seeing you there!

As we look ahead to many engaging events in June, I want to acknowledge the fantastic support our organization received at our Golf Fore Grandview Kids on May 29. It was a privilege to speak directly with donors, volunteers and supporters of Grandview Kids at the event. In addition to offering a day filled with fun and meaningful connections, these events serve as a crucial way for Grandview Kids to increase awareness of our impact in the community, attracting generous donors who help enhance and sustain our programming.

Lastly, we appreciate that many Gather readers are caregivers of Grandview Kids clients. Because of this, we are looking for your feedback on our programs and services. This month, we are launching our 2025 Caregiver Experience Survey. Through this anonymous survey, we want to hear about your experiences with the programs and services your child or youth has received at Grandview Kids.

Following the “In this issue” section below, you will find more details about the survey, including a link to complete it. I encourage you to take five minutes to share your input with us. Your valuable feedback will enable us to plan programs and services that best serve our clients.

Before I sign off, I want to note that we will deliver Gather a little differently this summer. Instead of dedicated issues distributed within the first week of each month, we will share one “Summer Edition” of Gather in late July to check in on all that’s happening at Grandview Kids, as we are all taking time to pause and enjoy the beautiful weather.

Until then, take good care.

Tom McHugh

CEO, Grandview Kids

Nick Story: Spina Bifida Awareness Month

Spina Bifida Awareness Month is nationally observed in June. Spina Bifida is one of the most common congenital birth defects that occurs when the spine and spinal cord do not form properly.

Fifteen-year-old Nick lives with his parents, Kyle and Amanda, and his older sister, Katheryn, but his diagnosis of Spina Bifida has uniquely shaped his journey.

Visit our blog to read more about Grandview Kids client, Nick's story >

Colton’s Story: Dravet Syndrome Awareness Day

June 23 is International Dravet Syndrome Awareness Day.

This day gives families affected by Dravet Syndrome a chance to share stories, build support and increase public knowledge about this rare form of childhood epilepsy.

Grandview Kids’ Peer Navigator, Jacki N., shares her family’s journey as they navigate life with Dravet Syndrome.



Visit our blog to read more >

Rudra’s Journey: Arthrogryposis Awareness Day

Arthrogryposis is a lifelong condition characterized by joint contractures, most commonly affecting the arms and legs. It is often marked by stiffness and a limited range of motion. While the exact cause remains unknown, the condition is typically diagnosed in utero or at birth. 

For Monjuri and her 11-year-old son Rudra, arthrogryposis is more than a diagnosis – it’s a journey of resilience, advocacy and hope. Their story is one of transformation, powered by determination and the unwavering support of Grandview Kids.

Visit our blog to read more about Grandview Kids client, Rudra's journey >

Share your feedback with Grandview Kids!

At Grandview Kids, we greatly respect the feedback we receive from our clients' caregivers. We would like to hear about your experience with the programs and services your child or youth received at Grandview Kids. The feedback you share will help us plan programs and services that best serve Grandview Kids' clients. 



Please share your feedback in this survey by Thursday, July 31, 2025. It should take no more than five minutes to complete, and your answers are anonymous.* 

*We will not ask for your name or your child's name. No one will know what you have said. We will keep everything confidential. We will share only the overall results with members of Team Grandview, our Board of Directors and in our annual report. 

If you have questions about this survey, please contact us by email at communications@grandviewkids.ca. 

Upcoming programs, workshops and events

Family Engagement

Join Grandview Kids’ Family Engagement Team for many engaging events throughout June. If you have any questions about the events shared below, please email familyengagement@grandviewkids.ca for more information! 

Park Playdates are BACK in June and July! 

Every Wednesday this June and July, from 5 to 7 p.m., the Family Engagement Team welcomes you to join us for Park Playdates at our Ajax Headquarters, The Jerry Coughlan Building! At Park Playdates, you will find bubbles, music and games and will have access to the park’s inclusive, accessible and sensory play features. Everyone is welcome! 

Note: Please check out Grandview Kids’ social media pages a few hours before heading to a Park Playdate to find out the theme of the week! We will also share cancellation notices here in the event of inclement weather conditions. 

• Date: Every Wednesday in June and July 
• Time: Drop in any time between 5 and 7 p.m. 
• Location: Playground at The Jerry Coughlan Building (attached to Grandview School). 

Adolescent Transition Program Coffee Chat: “Sips and Tips" 

This relaxed, fun gathering gives caregivers a well-deserved break and a chance to recharge. It’s a two-hour event where you can unwind, enjoy coffee or tea, meet others who understand and pick up helpful tips to make caregiving a little easier. Whether you’re looking for a friendly chat or some solid advice, this event is all about connection, support and a bit of fun.  

This month’s topic is “Keeping it real, co-decision-making with your emerging adult."

• Date: Monday, June 9, 2025 
• Time: 6 to 8 p.m. 
• Location: Boardroom (Room 1003) at The Jerry Coughlan Building, 1461 Harwood Avenue North, Ajax, ON, L1T 4T9 

Registration is required! Click here to register. 

Adolescent Transition Program Year-End Celebration presented by TD Bank Group 

Celebrate the end of the school year with an unforgettable party designed for youth aged 15 to 21! This vibrant event features a photobooth with fun props, allowing guests to capture memorable moments with friends. There will be engaging games, yummy snacks and lots of laughs. A curated playlist of popular tunes keeps the energy high throughout the night, setting the stage for lively dancing and socializing.  

• Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025 
• Time: 6 to 8 p.m. 
• Location: Learning Centre (Room 1004) at The Jerry Coughlan Building 

Click here to register. 

June Caregiver Café  

Take some well-deserved time for yourself at our Self-Care Caregiver Café, led by Grandview Kids Peer Navigators. Together, we'll explore practical self-care strategies, share stories and enjoy a supportive space to unwind and reconnect.

• Date: Thursday, June 26, 2025 
• Time: 6 to 8 p.m. 
• Location: The Jerry Coughlan Building, 1461 Harwood Avenue North, Ajax, ON, L1T 4T9

Click here to register. 

Declutter and Conquer 

Enhance your family's organizational skills—register today! Join us for a workshop dedicated to assisting guardians and their children in organizing essential documents for effective care and advocacy. 

• Date: Thursday, June 19, 2025 
• Time: Noon to 2 p.m. 
• Location: The Jerry Coughlan Building, 1461 Harwood Avenue North, Ajax, ON, L1T 4T9

Click here to register. 

Relaxed Visit at Black Creek Pioneer Village 

Experience The Village at your own pace with a “Relaxed Visit.” This specially designed program ensures a comfortable and welcoming environment for people of all abilities. Whether you are on the autism spectrum, have sensory sensitivities, or other communication, physical or developmental needs, we’ve crafted an experience that reduces unexpected surprises and sensory triggers, allowing you to explore and enjoy the Village with ease. 

Relaxed visit days offer: 

• Quiet, calming spaces throughout the Village where visitors can take a break whenever they need. 
• Sensory kits and sensory rooms 
• Enhanced signage 
• Hands-on, tactile learning opportunities that encourage exploration and connection with history in a meaningful way. 

Event logistics:

• Date: Sunday, June 8, 2025 
• Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (note Black Creek Pioneer Village is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) 
• Location: 1000 Murray Ross Pkwy, Toronto, ON M3J 2P3 

Click here for more details and to purchase a ticket. 

Drop in at the Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable

Urban Agriculture

Join a Peer Navigator at our neighbouring Agriculture Farm for a self-guided tour. The Barrett Centre is hosting a drop-in for Grandview Kids families and clients to allow them to e xplore and take a look at their beautiful gardens!

• Dates and times:  
• Tuesday, June 3, 2025, from 6 to 7 p.m. 
• Wednesday, June 4, from 10 to 11 a.m. 
• Location: The Barrett Centre, 1355 Harwood Ave N, Ajax, L1T 4G8 
• Note: The parking lot is shared with J. Clarke Richardson Collegiate.  

Click here to learn more about the Barrett Centre!

Special Services at Home (SSAH) Paperwork Party (Virtual) 

Paperwork is better together! Join us virtually for a walkthrough of the SSAH application. Our Peer Navigators can answer your questions and provide support from their lived experiences. If you have been waiting to complete this online application, now is your time! 

• Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 
• Time: 1 to 2 p.m. 
• Location: Hosted virtually on Microsoft Teams 

Registration is required. Click here to register. 

Note: This application is submitted online, so you must have access to an internet-connected laptop, tablet or cellphone to participate.  

Program Spotlight: Physiotherapy

In May, Grandview Kids celebrated National Physiotherapy Month, which recognizes the vital role of physiotherapists in supporting health and mobility. At Grandview Kids, our physiotherapists and occupational therapy-physiotherapy assistants work with children, youth and their families to successfully meet goals focused on achieving new mobility inchstones and milestones, maintaining posture and alignment of the body needed for breathing, digestion and movement and participating in physical activities with family and friends. 

Watch as Grandview Kids Physiotherapist Natalie shares her experience and commitment to providing the best possible care for the clients and caregivers we serve > 

What are the benefits of physiotherapy? 

Physiotherapists at Grandview Kids focus on paediatric physiotherapy and provide services to support developing and maintaining functional mobility skills at home and in the community.

Some of the benefits physiotherapy offers children and youth include: 

• Supporting physical development and the achievement of developmental inchstones and milestones like sitting, crawling, standing and walking. 
• Gaining access to specialized equipment, as physiotherapists can help prescribe walkers, standers, wheelchairs and braces to ensure children and youth can move easily and safely to support their development. 
• Aiding in recovery from surgery, as physiotherapy can support children and youth in regaining and improving their mobility post-operation. 
• Boosting confidence and mental health, as achieving physical inchstones and milestones through physiotherapy can positively impact a child or youth’s self-esteem. 

Who is eligible? 

Children and youth, ages 0 months to 19 years old (dependent on the area of concern), living in Durham Region.



Diagnostic criteria: Physical, neurological or genetic challenges impacting general development and ability to participate in mobility activities at home or in the community. 

How can clients or families refer a child or youth? 

For all general inquiries, information on additional resources, or to speak with a team member about making a referral or eligibility criteria, please visit our Referral Page. 



To learn more, visit our Physiotherapy Page.

Project Spotlight: Augmentative and Alternative Communication webpage 

In May, we also celebrated Speech and Hearing Month, honouring the incredible contributions of Grandview Kids’ Speech Therapy team, which is comprised of Speech-Language Pathologists and Communicative Disorders Assistants.  

Our Speech Therapy team recently developed a dedicated Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) webpage, enhancing the awareness, understanding and use of these tools, which support individuals who cannot consistently rely on speech to communicate. Providing families access to high-quality information surrounding Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is an important pillar of our Speech-Language Pathology program. Learn more about AAC and where to find our new AAC web page below. 

What is AAC? 

• AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication and includes tools or technologies that help people communicate if they can’t rely on speaking. 
• It can be unaided (using just your body, such as facial expressions, gestures and signs) or aided (using objects, pictures or text). 
• Can be accessed directly (touch or pointing) or indirectly (e.g., partner-assisted scanning, eye-gaze, switches). 

What are the benefits of AAC? 

Any child whose speech does not effectively meet their communication needs can benefit from AAC. Some of the benefits include:

• AAC can be used with no tech (e.g., gestures), low-tech (e.g., pictures, core board) and high-tech modalities (e.g., an iPad app). 
• AAC helps an individual send and/or receive messages. 
• AAC supports autonomy. 
• Using AAC can reduce frustration. 
• Using AAC can increase participation. 

How is AAC used at Grandview Kids? 

• Lanyards: You may see staff wearing lanyard core boards (see graphic to the right). A lanyard core board can be used to model keywords and/or “interpret” when a child is unclear or having difficulty communicating a message. 

Graphic depicting the AAC lanyard board that Grandview Kids staff and volunteers are encouraged to wear.

• Pixon®-112 Core Board: A Pixon® board is a type of “low tech” AAC, as they are printed. It uses pictures to represent core vocabulary (the most common words we use in English) and comes in a variety of different sizes. There are Pixon® core boards throughout our new Ajax-based headquarters, The Jerry Coughlan Building. We encourage you to check them out during your next visit! 

A graphic depicting the Pixon®-112 Core Board that can be seen at The Jerry Coughlan Building. 

Learn more 

If you are interested in learning more about AAC, including how to support a child or youth who uses AAC, how to model with AAC and tips for using AAC tools, please visit the Grandview Kids website. On this page, you will also find over a dozen resources created by Grandview Kids clinicians to support you and your child using AAC.

If you have any questions about the content on this page, please ask your Grandview Kids clinician during your next visit. 

Community Corner

Ajax Public Library

Did you know? The Family Resource Centre at The Jerry Coughlan Building is home to the Ajax Public Library's Grandview Kids Express Branch.

The Ajax Public Library invites you to attend the following events in June:

Storytimes 

• Drag Queen Storytime + Family Pride Kickoff: Drop in on Saturday, June 7, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Main Branch. This family-friendly program will showcase stories celebrating diversity and inclusion, followed by sweet treats, crafts and other fun activities. Presented in partnership with Youth Pride Durham, Durham Children’s Aid Society and Durham Public Libraries. 

Specials 

• PA Day Craft & Movie - The Wizard of Oz: Drop in on Friday, June 27, from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at the Grandview Kids Express Branch. It’s probably been a while since you wandered down the Yellow Brick Road, but before there was Wicked, there was Oz! We’ll make a craft, watch the movie, and yes, you can absolutely sing along. Rated PG. 

2025 TD Summer Reading Club: Around the World

• Registration opens Monday, June 16, at 4 p.m. at all Branches, including the Grandview Kids Express Branch.
• Summer Reading Club Kickoff with Family Storytime and Library Card Sign Up! Saturday, June 21, from 10 a.m. to noon.

For the complete lineup, including Grandview Kids Express Branch events, click here.

For more Ajax Public Library events and collection information, visit: www.ajaxlibrary.ca. 

Dates of Significance

Every month, members of Team Grandview’s Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee research and share blog posts about holidays, cultural celebrations, awareness days and other dates of significance that are meaningful to staff, clients, caregivers, partners and the community. 

In June, we acknowledge Pride Month, Brain Injury Awareness Month, Stroke Awareness Month, Scoliosis Awareness Month, National Indigenous History Month, National Cancer Survivors Day, World Brain Tumour Day, World Blood Donor Day, CDKL5 Awareness Day, Autistic Pride Day, World Refugee Day, National Indigenous Peoples Day, Dravet Syndrome Awareness Day, National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day, Canadian Multiculturalism Day and International Pride Day. Read more on our blog >

In June, we also acknowledge Filipino Heritage Month, Portuguese Heritage Month, Shavuot, Eid-ul-Adha, Father’s Day and the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. Read more on our blog >

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Content in Gather is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor. Views expressed in posts and resources listed do not signify endorsement by Grandview Kids.