Two Seriously Ill Brothers Help Create Teddy Bear To Raise Funds For Charity

Brothers Matteo and Nicco are newest designers of Starlight Children’s Foundation™ Canada’s 6th collectible bear, “Hiya”.

TORONTO, ON (November 25, 2014) - Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada in collaboration with Toys“R”Us Canada is proud to release their 6th Limited Edition Collectible Starlight Bear, Hiya. Designed by brothers Matteo and Nicco, Hiya is sold in Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us stores across the nation. A portion of Hiya’s sales will fund Starlight’s in and out-of-hospital programs, brightening the lives of seriously ill children across Canada.

Both brothers, Matteo (five years old) and Nicco (three years old) have been battling cancer. At 16 months old, Matteo was diagnosed with the rare form of bladder cancer, Rhabomyosarcoma. During Matteo’s 3.5 years of treatment (resulting in the removal of his bladder and prostate), his brother Nicco was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. Nicco now begins his chemotherapy treatment with Matteo by his side in remission.

Matteo, Nicco and their family bonded over the creation of the 2014 bear. Hiya is the name of Matteo and Nico’s favourite blankey; a double sided cozy and warm blanket they take everywhere.  The bear was crafted to feel just like that same blankey, and named after a term their grandmother uses meaning “sleepy sleepy”. The brothers included a gold and purple ribbon on the bear’s foot, representing childhood cancer awareness, and the fight of thousands of other children living with life threatening illnesses.

“The Starlight bear provides the opportunity to share stories of strength and courage with our supporters across the nation,” said Starlight executive director, Brian Bringolf. “We feel honoured to share Matteo and Nico’s moving story through our important and meaningful partnership with Toys”R”Us Canada.”

With the support of both employees and customers, Toys“R”Us Canada has raised over $12 million dollars for Starlight in the last 15 years.

Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada’s collectible bear Hiya is $14.99 and available in Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us stores across Canada and online at http://bit.ly/hiyabear

For photos of Hiya, the brother designers and their family, please follow: http://bit.ly/hiyaphotos

For more information, photos or interview requests, please contact:

Cory Stewart | Embrace Disruption PR

p: 647.638.1586 | e: cory@embracedisruption.com

About Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada:

Starlight Children’s Foundation™ Canada is part of Starlight’s global network, serving kids and families through partnerships with more than 130 healthcare facilities. Over the past 30 years, Starlight has become a leading global charity that partners with experts to improve the life and health of kids and families around the world. Collaborating with innovators in pediatric healthcare, entertainment and technology, Starlight provides a unique blend of family-centered programs and services from hospital to home. Starlight partners with more than 1,750 healthcare facilities and pediatric hospitals in Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, serving millions of children every year.

Website: http://starlightcanada.org

Twitter: @StarlightCanada             #Hiya

Facebook: http://facebook.com/starlightcanada

YouTube: http://youtube.com/canadastarlight

About Toys“R”Us, Canada:

Toys“R”Us (Canada) Ltd., is part of Toys“R”Us, Inc., the world’s leading dedicated toy and juvenile products retailer. Toys“R”Us, Canada operates over 80 stores across the country. For store locations and convenient online shopping visit www.toysrus.ca or www.babiesrus.ca.

(Source)

We know wintertime can be a drag. With the holidays coming up, it becomes especially difficult to be merry and stress-free. We’re faced with lack of daylight, cloudy skies, cold weather, excessive spending on gifts for family & friend, battling colds and flus, and inevitable weight gain (we can go on and on). So, what’s the best thing to do this month to stay afloat? Plan a party. Getting your friends together for a fun night of cocktails and games can be the perfect mini-escape from stressful holiday season.

Here are 7 different ideas you can use to throw a successful and fun party – and temporarily get your mind off all the holiday stress.

Ugly Sweater Christmas Party – Who doesn’t love themed parties! Now you can finally unearth that hideous Christmas sweater your grandmother (bless her heart) gave you a few Christmases ago. If you’re lucky enough not to own one, it’s just as fun to go on an ugly-sweater-shopping adventure at your local thrift store with a friend. Give your guests even more incentive to wear an ugly sweater by having a contest for the ugliest sweater at the party with a prize (something inexpensive like a $10 Starbucks gift cards works well!)

Board game night – Don’t be fooled by this one! We promise it’s not as lame as it sounds. Although it might seem like the dullest way to spend an evening, inviting your friends over for a night of board games can actually give your brain the rest it needs during this stressful and (at-times) depressing season. By focusing on the game and the added competition against your friends, you’re taking your mind off of work, holiday expenses, travel arrangements, etc. It’s simple yet highly effective. Besides, staying indoors seems like a much nicer alternative than going out when it’s below 10 and snowing outside.

Christmas cocktail/mocktail party – This is a great party idea for all ages, as these drinks can easily be made alcohol-free. Make a list of 5-10 or so different drinks your guests can choose from at the party, be sure to buy all the ingredients you need to make the drink, and play bartender for the night (ok, not the whole night). Giving your guests the option to choose from different cocktails or mocktails can make your party much more appealing, rather than having just two or three drink options. You can also make the mock/cocktails in small test-size cups so they can try more than one drink. Check here for a list of delicious drink recipes.

Festivus – Seinfeld lovers unite! If Christmas songs, the millions of Christmas commercials, and the red and green colour combination are making you sick to your stomach, throw a Festivus party! Take part in the Festivus rituals, which include the airing of grievances and feats of strength. A Festivus themed party is the perfect alternative to those who are in desperate need of some comic relief amidst the madness of Christmas. Don’t forget the aluminum Festivus pole.

Potluck – The best part about a potluck is not having the stress of cooking enough food to feed all your guests – and worrying that you may not have cooked enough food for all your guests. Instead, have a holiday-themed potluck party where your guests can bring a dish of their choice. Make it easier for your guests by not having the dishes be holiday-specific (not everyone is a master chef).

Baking/Gingerbread House Decorating party – The holidays wouldn’t be the same without cookies and gingerbread houses. Pick a few different baking recipes, and gather your family, friends and kids (if you have them) and bake away! While you’re waiting for the cookies to bake, you can drink cocktails or hot chocolate with marshmallows while sitting around a warm fire (or candles, if you don’t have a fireplace).

A Classy Affair that’s laid back – If you just want a reason to dress up and have a good time, throw a classy holiday party with a laid back atmosphere. Tell your guests to dress up in their best attire, and have cocktails, champagne and snacks on hand to serve all night. For more intimate parties or smaller groups, you can host a nice sit-down dinner. Even though you’ll be dressed up, this doesn’t mean the party has to be stuffy and overly serious. Make sure to create a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere, so your guests don’t feel uncomfortable.

Since their first video, Jib Jab has posted many a politically driven parody as well as “Years in Review” that are just as snicker-inducing.

Over the years Jib Jab has branched out to include a whole e-Card division, so sending your special someone a card for any occasion is super easy. Plus, you can make them feel famous by putting their face in the card. Maybe you’re friend has a bachelorette party coming up & you want to send out her invites in the style of Chippendale dancers. Who wouldn’t like that?

Dancing Elves, Silly Santas & Partying Penguins

Since it is the holiday season, let’s take a look at what Jib Jab has cooked up to entertain us. First, you can use your personal photos or Facebook photos to cast your favourite people in a music video for some of the most popular holiday songs. Maybe your friends are a bit more… adventurous with their festive cheer. In those special cases Jib Jab lets you star in such classics as “Farting Carol” or “Tree Slaughter.” I bet either will become an instant classic to be enjoyed for generations.

The holiday “Elf Yourself” tradition is also back. Started in 2006 in partnership with Office Max, users are able to cast themselves in 3 different elf-themed songs/videos this year: Snowball Fight, Christmas Tree & Office Party.

And after you’re finished casting everyone from your Facebook you’ll probably have no time for Christmas shopping anymore which is okay because Jib Jab has teamed up with Amazon to offer the option to send Amazon gift cards with any e-Card.

Giving is as Easy as a Scan & Tap

To raise awareness, eBay set up a pop-up shop at the intersection of 9^th and 14^th St in NYC this past week- where the public was invited to visit and browse a small selection of toys available to be donated. At the pop-up, members of the eBay team were on hand supplying free hot chocolate while showing consumers how to easily scan the QR codes associated with each gift. The donor has free reign over the type of toy donation they make to Toys of Tots, being able to pick the gender, age range & price point of the toy to be donated. The toy donations are then shipped out to children in need.

Everyone Can Get in on the Action

Let’s face it: not everyone has an smartphone (or lives in NYC), so in order to reach their goal, eBay has also set up a webpage for users to donate in the same fashion as the app. The webpage also facilitates easy sharing via social networks, assisting eBay in reaching the largest audience possible.

Everyone is familiar with the concept of a toy drive, but the logistics on such a project can be difficult and overwhelming. eBay has taken holiday giving to the next level making it just a little easier for everyone. Any time, any place, people can donate and make a difference. Even better, eBay delivers the toy to where it needs to be in remarkable time, often in an hour or less. Their goal this year is 25,000 toys (with toy matching donations being made by eBay).

What do you think: will mobile help boost consumer awareness and drive charity focused purchase conversions in the future? Sound off in the comments!