Role of the Meagan Bebenek Foundation in the funding ecosystem
The Meagan Bebenek Foundation (MBF), formerly known as Meagan’s Walk, is a Canadian registered charity created in 2001 in memory of Meagan Bebenek. Built around its signature “HUG” event encircling Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, the foundation has grown into a year‑round movement dedicated to paediatric brain tumour research, awareness, and family support. Since its inception, MBF has raised over $6 million and funded more than 30 projects aimed at improving treatments, outcomes and quality of life for children living with brain tumours.
MBF plays a notable funding role for the Brain Tumour Research Centre (BTRC) at SickKids, the only Canadian facility with a dedicated paediatric brain tumour research program. Through its Research Program, the foundation provides ongoing financial support for cutting‑edge laboratory work, equipment and clinical research that help develop less toxic, more effective therapies.
Fellowships and research capacity building
A key component of MBF’s grantmaking focuses on training and attracting top medical talent. The Neuro‑Oncology Fellowship invites one clinical researcher each year from around the world to spend a year at SickKids and the BTRC. This fellowship is explicitly funded by MBF and supports advanced research on rare paediatric brain tumour subtypes while building a global network of specialists who carry this expertise back to their home countries.
Complementing this is the R.U.T.K.A Fellowship, created to mark the 25th anniversary of the BTRC. Named in honour of neurosurgeon and scientist Dr. James Rutka, this program provides annual funding for a first‑year post‑doctorate role in a BTRC lab. By underwriting a postdoctoral position, the fellowship strengthens research capacity and accelerates discovery in paediatric neuro‑oncology.
Family, community and school‑based support
Beyond pure research funding, MBF invests in community and family‑centred initiatives. Its Family Support Program channels resources to families facing cancer treatment, exemplified by the Hope for Ukraine campaign, which raised over $150,000 to help displaced Ukrainian children continue their cancer care. The foundation signals plans to expand this program to reach more families within its growing “Circle of Hope”.
Through its Kids Helping Kids school programs, MBF also supports educational and leadership activities that encourage students to raise awareness, show empathy and contribute to fundraising. These programs blend psychosocial support, community engagement and philanthropy, helping children understand the impact they can have on peers affected by serious illness.
Awards, recognition and impact
The foundation further advances its mission by recognizing excellence and advocacy through its Awards of Excellence. These awards honour medical breakthroughs, advocacy and influential supporters who amplify awareness of paediatric brain tumours. While not direct research grants, they highlight projects and individuals whose work aligns closely with MBF’s funded activities.
Through this combination of research grants, fellowships, family support initiatives, school programs and recognition awards, the Meagan Bebenek Foundation occupies a distinctive place in the paediatric cancer funding landscape, using community‑driven fundraising to sustain multiple ongoing funding streams in Canada and beyond.