Meet Our Exec!
Joanna Faltyn: Co-President
Welcome to Smiling Over Sickness! My name is Joanna and I am in my fourth year of Honours Molecular Biology & Genetics. This year, I have the wonderful opportunity of returning to the McMaster Smiling Over Sickness team as Co-President. I am passionate about growing the club to further its help for those in our community that are touched by paediatric illness. This club would not be so successful without the help of our dedicated volunteers, which we are so thankful for. I look forward to working with our 2017-2018 Volunteer Team and I encourage you to apply. If ever, you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions, please feel free to contact us.
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Jeff Park: Co-President
Hello! My name is Jeff and I'm a fourth year student studying health sciences. I’m thrilled to be representing Smiling Over Sickness as one of the co-presidents this year! I began my journey with SOS in my first year as a Smiles Squad member, and became dedicated to helping sick children and their families ever since. As I assume a leadership position, I hope to reach out to our members and enable them to achieve their goals within the club. My role is to bring individuals and their unique talents together in order to make a lasting impact in our community. I am grateful for all my experiences at SOS, which has taught me the meanings of self-sacrifice, humility and commitment.
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Kelvin Ng: Vice President
I’m a third year health sciences student and the Vice President for McMaster Smiling Over Sickness for the 2017-2018 school year. I spent my first year as a Smiles Squad member involved with lots of Smiling Over Sickness fundraising and outreach events and my second year as the Treasurer. I decided to continue my involvement with Smiling Over Sickness because I was impressed by the drive and professionalism of the executive committee. Their commitment to helping children with illnesses and engaging the Hamilton community inspires me to work hard as Vice President to help spread joy to children.
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Anastasia LoRi: Dance Marathon Coordinator
Hey there! My name is Anastasia LoRi and I am a second year Life Science (PNB) student with a passion for dancing, drawing, nature and of course, helping others! This is my second year being a part of SOS and I am super excited to be working with Sallie and the subcommittee this year to plan another successful Dance Marathon at McMaster. I was previously on the Dance Marathon subcommittee and believe that SOS does a lot not only for the kids at Children's Miracle Network, but also for the community of Hamilton. I cannot wait to see what Smiling over Sickness will achieve this year and hope you can join us as well to participate in Dance Marathon 2017!
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Sallie Han: Dance Marathon Coordinator
Hi there! My name is Sallie and I am in my second year of the Health Sciences program. You can often find me sipping coffee in a cute cafe or taking photos! When I joined SOS last year as a Smiles Squad member, I did not expect it to become one of my favourite experience of first year. Whether it was painting banners, having bake sales, or hosting a carnival at the McMaster Children’s Hospital, it was inspiring to see how the collective efforts of volunteers can truly make a difference. As a Dance Marathon Coordinator this year, I am thrilled to be working with Anastasia to plan an exciting fundraiser event for the Children’s Miracle Network and bring smiles to many faces! I am looking forward to what SOS has in store for this year and I hope you can join us in this experience!
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April Liu:
McMaster Children's Hospital Volunteer Coordinator Hey there! My name is April and I am a third year student in the Bachelor of Health Sciences program. I joined SOS in my first year as a hospital volunteer group leader. As a group leader, I got to plan exciting crafts such as sun-catchers and duct tape flowers for children staying at the McMaster Children's Hospital and I got to interact with so many kids and their families! Last year, I was the Hospital Volunteer Coordinator and am super excited to return to my role for the 2017-2018 school year. I can't wait for another amazing year with SOS!
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Aisha Elmi:
Y Fit 4 U Volunteer Coordinator Hello! My name is Aisha and I'm in my third year of Honours Biology. My hobbies include ordering too much poutine, riding my bike, learning new languages, and reading. I got started with SOS when I joined Y Fit 4 U in my first year as a volunteer, became a group leader in my second year and am now the Y Fit 4 U Coordinator. Being able to build long term relationships with our clients at the YMCA, encourage them, and watch them progress is what makes our committee so rewarding. This year I hope to have our committee collaborate more with the YMCA's events to increase our reach and impact. Looking forward to another great year with our volunteers and clients!
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Zach Blatman:
Ronald McDonald House Volunteer Coordinator Hey! My name is Zach Blatman, and I am a third year Health Sciences student serving as the Ronald McDonald House Volunteer Coordinator for the 2017-2018 academic year. As a child, my family was offered services from the Ronald McDonald House in Toronto while I was a patient at the Hospital for Sick Children. Overall, my triumphant life experiences have shaped me into the resilient, optimistic, compassionate and healthy person I am today. Participating in Smiling Over Sickness has provided me with the opportunity to give back to my dedicated care team, and I look forward to spreading my passion and enthusiasm while paying it forward again this year!
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Gabriella Paniccia:
Fundraising Coordinator Hey! I’m one of the SOS fundraising coordinators this year and I’m currently in my fourth year of the Biomedical Discovery and Commercialization program. As a member of the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) subcommittee for the past two years, I have had the opportunity to provide support and a sense of community to families wit seriously ill children through various activity days which took place at the hospital in addition to toy cleaning shifts that were held at the RMH. In my spare time you’ll probably find me doing one of three things: watching YouTube, hiking in Cootes or trying to convince my parents to get a dog. As an SOS fundraising coordinator, I am thrilled to help organize and execute exciting initiatives to ultimately raise money for our partner organizations: Camp Trillium, Children’s Miracle Network and A Child’s Voice Foundation. I look forward to seeing you at our events this upcoming year!
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Lara Murphy:
Fundraising Coordinator Hello! My name is Lara and I'm a second year Health Sciences student who loves baking, rollerblading, and meeting new people. Last year, I was lucky enough to be a member of Smile Squad, and I am so excited to continue my involvement this year as one of the Fundraising Coordinators with Gabriella! As part of our role, we will be organizing the fundraising initiatives Locks for Love and Shave for a Cure, which raise money for our partner organizations Camp Trillium and Angel Hair for Kids. Being part of this club has truly been one of my favourite parts of university thus far, and it has been so rewarding knowing our efforts within SOS have a positive impact on the lives of sick children and their families. I am so proud to be part of this dedicated community, and would love to see you show your support at our events!
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Cathy Lu:
Promotions & Communications Coordinator Hello! I'm Cathy Lu, a third year Health Sciences student who has an obsession with cats and hedgehogs. In my spare time, I like teaching myself new skills or improving on old ones. I love cooking, baking, making art, and pretending that I'm tall. You'll often see me doodling on scrap paper, napkins, whatever I can get my hands on - even homework! Last year, I was on Smiles Squad, and had the wonderful experience of working with a fun team to plan and run events for children. I'm thrilled to be the Promotions Coordinator for Smiling Over Sickness this year and hope that you'll join us too, whether it be by attending our events as a general member, or applying for a position on one of our subcommittees. Take a risk and do what you're afraid to do - life's an adventure!
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Hannah Byles:
Smiles Squad Coordinator Hello! I am a third year student in the Bachelor of Health Sciences program, specializing in Child Health. Some of my favourite things include going on hikes, dancing and iced coffees. I have been a member of Smiles Squad for the past two years where I had the opportunity to work with a passionate team of volunteers to plan and run events for children in the Hamilton community. I am extremely excited to continue my role on this team as Smiles Squad Coordinator. Being a member of this club is a truly rewarding experience as the work we do helps to improve the lives of sick children and their families, bringing smiles to the faces of those who deserve it most.
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Stephanie Dephoure:
Smiles Squad Coordinator Hi! My name is Stephanie and I am a second year student in the Bachelor of Health Sciences program who loves dogs, baking and dancing. Last year, I was fortunate enough to become involved with SOS as a member of Smiles Squad, where I worked with a group of students to organize and run community outreach events both within Hamilton and the McMaster community. I am excited to continue my work with Smiles Squad this year alongside Hannah as one of the Smiles Squad Coordinators! I am looking forward to working with a group of amazing,dedicated volunteers this year to organize successful events and bring smiles to sick children and their families!
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Eva Liu: Treasurer
Hello! My name is Eva, and I am a second-year student of the Health Sciences Program. I was a part of the hospital arts-and-crafts volunteer team last year. Volunteering is one of my passions, and it has taught me a lot about people, teamwork, dedication, and compassion. This year, I am excited to work as the treasurer of SOS and use my love for math to maintain an efficient financial system for SOS. I am looking forward to collaborating with the other subcommittees to bring another year of growth and success.
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Amy Wang:
Photographer/Videographer Hello everyone! My name is Amy and I am currently a second year Health Sciences student. I have always been fascinated by the beautiful yet perplexing world that surrounds us, and after some time, I started taking photos as a means to capture it. After reading and hearing about the remarkable things that SOS has accomplished in the past, I have to say I am more than grateful for the opportunity to work with this organization. As the photographer/videographer for SOS, I hope to capture the altruism and generosity of the club, and share these moments with the rest of McMaster.
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