History of Action Day

The Sickle Cell Awareness Group of Ontario (SCAGO) has been holding Action Day with policymakers at Queen’s Park for over a decade. Over the years, SCAGO has met with and worked with various Ministers of Health including Deb Matthews and Eric Hoskins. We have also reached out to the current administration on racialized health issues.

In collaboration with the Thalassemia Foundation of Canada (TFC), SCAGO has also held Action days at Queen’s Park on March 19, 2014; April 10, 11, 2016; February 27, 2017; and March 27, 2018.

The Action days serve to raise awareness of sickle cell disease among policymakers as well as present the asks from the sickle cell disease community. It is worth noting that funding for the Red Blood Cell Disorders Clinic (Toronto General Hospital) was announced by Minister Eric Hoskins during Action Day 2017. Access the Action Day 2017 Booklet here.

Furthermore, on March 1st 2022, through the advocacy efforts of the Ontario Hemoglobinopathy Patient Association (OHPA), the Sickle Cell Awareness Group of Ontario (SCAGO), and the Thalassemia Foundation of Canada (TFC), the Ministry of Health approved funding for five Hemoglobinopathy Clinics- London Health Sciences, McMaster Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, The Ottawa Hospital, and William Osler -Brampton Civic. The Hospital for Sick Children and the University Health Network (UHN) also received funding.

Action Day 2024

We are grateful to everyone who came to support this year's Action Day, from community members, and healthcare providers, to government officials from various regions of the province.

This year we had one simple ask, for New-born Screening Ontario to automatically disclose New-borns Sickle Cell Trait status to their parents, this simple and vital change will allow for informed decisions around family planning and support sickle cell education. A right everyone should have. Together, we are pushing for a more equitable and prosperous future for every Ontarian.