Dreaming helps

Hospital Building

Dream Lottery supports better care for patients from across the region

LONDON, Ont. - Buying a ticket and dreaming of what's possible with Dream Lottery is a great way to help improve the health of families in our region who rely on the hospitals in London.

Dream Lottery has raised more than $26.5 million (net) since 1996 to support London Health Sciences Centre, Children's Hospital at LHSC and St. Joseph's Health Care London. These hospitals combined, receive more than 1.5 million patient visits each year from across Southwestern Ontario and beyond.

Dreaming makes research possible, like the breast cancer studies which continue to improve current therapies and help to develop new treatments at LHSC for patients like Kelly, who says her six-year old son felt that his mom was cancer-free only when her hair started growing back.

Dreaming makes miracles possible, like Megan, who loves to hang out with her big brother Connor and can do so because the incredible expertise and specialized equipment available at Children's Hospital helped her overcome life-threatening meningitis at the tender age of six months.

Dreaming makes innovative programs possible, like the Return to School (RTS) Group Therapy Program at St. Joseph's that gave Ashley the support she says helped her overcome stress and frustration to become confident and excited about going back to school after a brain injury.

So go ahead, dream of the Ultimate Grand Prize of a furnished home and $100,000 cash, the carefree lifestyle of the condo option (with $400,000 in the bank), or what you could do with a cool million in cash instead. Tickets go on sale today with the final draw on January 14, 2016. There are lots of other prizes in the lottery including vacations or cash, cars or cash, 12 Holiday Cash prizes in December and prize-a-day announcements throughout January and February.

The 50/50 PlusTM draw is back again, this time with new ticket prices for a better-than-ever-before value. 50/50 PlusTM still has a guaranteed minimum of $250,000 and no maximum. The final amount available to be won will depend on the number of 50/50 PlusTM tickets sold.

Great ticket prices. Ticket prices are 2/$50, 6/$100, 16/$250, and 35/$500. For those buying the 35-pack, the cost works out to less than $15 per ticket. Tickets can be purchased at participating Shoppers Drug Mart locations, at the Dream homes, online at www.dreamitwinit.ca or by calling 519-488-7100.

A Dream Lottery ticket must be purchased in order to also purchase 50/50 PlusTM tickets. 50/50 PlusTM tickets are 2/$15, 6/$30, 20/$60 and can be ordered at the time a Dream Lottery ticket is purchased. After buying a Dream Lottery ticket, 50/50 PlusTM tickets can also be ordered by phone at 519-488-7100.

The Final Draw sales deadline for Dream Lottery and 50/50 PlusTM is midnight, December 17. There are separate sales deadlines for Dream Lottery's VIP Draw, Early Bonus Draw, Bonus Draw and Early Bird Draw - starting with the VIP Draw deadline at midnight, October 23.

Dream Lottery Grand Prize Homes open to the public. The Bridlewood Dream Home at 2351 Meadowlands Way, London and the Domus Dream Condo at 2219 Callingham Drive, London are both open starting today and then every Thursday - Sunday from 12 - 5 p.m. These homes will also be open on Thanksgiving Day. The homes will close at the final sales deadline or if all available Dream Lottery tickets sell out.

Read more about Kelly, Megan and Ashley - and check out the Dream Lottery rules, prize list, maps to the dream homes and their open hours, home floor plans, virtual tours, sales deadlines and draw dates on the lottery's website at www.dreamitwinit.ca.

Quotes:

"Dream Lottery supporters affect great patient care. That great care has a profound effect on, not just the patient, but their families as well."
John MacFarlane, President and CEO, London Health Sciences Foundation

"Dream Lottery supporters are helping to bridge the gap between what government-supported health care can provide and what is needed to ensure our children and families receive the best possible care. Thank you for helping to save and improve the lives of our region's kids."
Susan Crowley, President and CEO, Children's Health Foundation

"When you purchase a ticket for the Dream Lottery you help London's hospitals to invest in care that improves the lives of people in our community, region and beyond."
Michelle Campbell, President and CEO, St. Joseph's Health Care Foundation

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Together, London Health Sciences Centre, Children's Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre, and St. Joseph's Health Care London receive more than 1.5 million patient visits from across Southwestern Ontario and beyond each year. In addition to caring for London-area residents, the hospitals are referral centres providing specialized services in support of the excellent care of the region's community hospitals.

Dream Lottery - lottery licence: 7592                                      50/50 PlusTM - lottery licence: 7616

For More Information about Dream Lottery or London Health Sciences Foundation:
Alexander Peterson, Manager, Public Relations
(519) 685-8527 or Alexander.Peterson@lhsc.on.ca        www.lhsf.ca

For More Information about Children's Health Foundation:
Shaun McGill, Communications Director
(519) 432-8062 (ext. 125) or smcgill@childhealth.ca    www.childhealth.ca

For More Information about St. Joseph's Health Care Foundation:
Sara Cameron, Manager, Marketing and Communications
(519) 646-6000 (ext. 42123) or Sara.Cameron@sjhc.london.on.ca     www.sjhcfoundation.org