(OTTAWA, ONTARIO) – Thousands of supporters ran for a reason during the 2010 Ottawa Race Weekend, bringing in a record $904,521 for The Ottawa Hospital.

“Today’s success is the result of the hard work and efforts by so many supporters in the community,” says Steve West, Chief Executive Officer, MDS Inc. “MDS Nordion is proud to be associated with the Run For a Reason Challenge as it continues to contribute to the development of world-class health care in the Ottawa region.”

Dedicated individuals and teams raised pledges as part of the MDS Nordion Run For a Reason Challenge and supported areas of the Hospital that matter most to them. Top fundraising teams include:

• PIPR - $93,938 in support of parkinson’s research
• Turnbull School - $22,000 in support of cancer research
• StrongWomen Team - $34,496 in support of the StrongWomen Program
• Run For Research - $251,127 in support of cancer research

The top fundraising team in the First Responders Challenge between the Ottawa Police, Paramedics and Firefighters was the Paramedics with a total of $12,626.

The funds raised in support of cancer research almost doubled thanks to a $200,000 boost from Tony Graham Automotive Group for a total of $451,127.

“This community’s generosity never ceases to amaze us,” says Susan Doyle, President and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital. “It is wonderful to see people, young and old, get involved and lace up to make a difference.”

Since 1998, the Run For a Reason Challenge has raised $7.4 million for The Ottawa Hospital.

The Ottawa Hospital is a multi-campus, academic health sciences centre, serving 1.2 million residents of Ottawa and Eastern Ontario, both in English and French. It provides care for more patients than any other hospital in Canada, and boasts specialty centres in cancer, heart, kidney and vision care, as well as rehabilitation services. For more information, visit The Ottawa Hospital Web site at www.ottawahospital.on.ca.

The Ottawa Hospital Foundation’s mission is to inspire and enable people to support the highest quality health care at The Ottawa Hospital and lifesaving research at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. For more information, visit The Ottawa Hospital Foundation Web site at www.ohfoundation.ca.

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For more information, please contact:

Ingrid Gingras
Media Relations and Marketing Officer
The Ottawa Hospital Foundation
Tel.: 613-798-5555, ext. 18718
Cell: 613-218-1976
igingras@ottawahospital.on.ca