About Us

McMaster Smiling Over Sickness was founded in 2002 with the mission of helping sick children smile. Since then, it has grown to become one of the largest and most influential student-run organizations at McMaster, with over 600 general members, 45 volunteers, 20 junior executives, and 13 senior executives.

We strive to raise awareness and support for pediatric patients through our fundraising and volunteer initiatives. Last year, we raised over $10,000 towards local and national organizations that align with our vision, while our dedicated volunteers collectively performed over 1,500 hours of community service to help bring joy and support for patients and their families at Ronald McDonald House, McMaster Children’s Hospital, Cootes Paradise Elementary School, and the Ron Joyce Rehabilitation Centre, Les Chater YMCA.

In addition, we are also committed to engaging with children in the greater Hamilton Community. We organize large-scale community-building events each year, providing the opportunity for McMaster students to be excellent role models for children in the community and encouraging them to pursue their own community involvement and volunteerism.

Our community contributions have earned our organization the title of MSU Club of the Year during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years. As well, we were honoured to be selected as the 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2016 recipient of the J. Lynn Watson Award for Community Service, which recognizes the McMaster student group that has made the greatest contribution towards charitable giving each year.

With our exceptional fundraising efforts, community engagement, and volunteering initiatives, McMaster Smiling Over Sickness has helped to bring the McMaster community together for a cause that touches the hearts of many students and faculty members.

Awards

2012-13 and 2013-14 MSU Club of the Year
2016-17 MSU Community Service Awards
J. Lynn Watson Award for Community Service 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2022

Meet the Team

Hover over the images below to learn more about each member of the 2023-24 executive team!

Hi everyone! My name is Ariana Petrazzini and I am a third year student in the Health Sciences (Core). I came across SOS in my first year and was immediately moved by its mission and all the work done by its amazing members! I initially joined SOS in the Dance Marathon (DM) subcommittee as Dance Director, combining my passion for dance and pediatric care. I then went on to become Co-Coordinator for DM in my second year. This year, I am extremely excited to serve as Co-president and lead a remarkable team towards spreading more smiles and helping more lives :)

Ariana Petrazzini

(she/her)

Hello everyone! My name is Aleesha Sheikh, and I am a fourth year Health Sciences student. I am so excited to be a Co-President for the 2023-2024 school year! I began my SOS journey as a Ronald McDonald House subcommittee member, and was then a Fundraising Executive the following year. Being part of this club has been such a wholesome experience, and I love seeing the impact we make on children in our community. Working with this close-knit team has been an integral part of my journey throughout university, and I am so grateful to work with such talented and caring individuals. I am very excited for all of our lovely events and fundraisers this year, and I can't wait to continue to contribute to a cause so close to my heart!

Aleesha Sheikh

(she/her)

Co-President

Hi! My name is Sam and I'm a third-year Health Sciences student. From the moment I became part of SOS through the Ronald McDonald House subcommittee, I was deeply moved by the unwavering support we provide to sick children and their families. Over the past two years, my journey with this club has revealed the profound dedication of SOS to heartwarming initiatives that brighten lives of those in our community. As VP Admin, I am thrilled and motivated to collaborate with the exceptional subcommittees and executive team in propelling these initiatives forward and fulfilling our club's mission this year!

Samantha Rutherford

(she/her)

Vice President of Administration

Hi everyone! My name is Kahono and I'm one of your promotions coordinators for this year. I'm entering my second year of Health Sciences and specializing in child health! This is my first year being part of SOS and I am beyond excited to work with this year's amazing team. I can't wait to help share the joy that comes with spreading smiles to children and families in our community :)

Kahono Hirasawa

(she/her)

Hey! I'm David and I'm entering my second year of Health Sciences. Last year, as an RMH subcommittee member, it was so exciting and fulfilling to meet new people and volunteer for a greater cause. The McMaster SOS community is so welcoming and truly makes a profound impact on the local community. I'm excited to work with my fellow executives to have even more exciting events and initiatives this year!

David Gou

(he/him)

Vice President of Finance

Hey everyone! I’m Rubani, one of the promotions coordinators for this year! i’m entering my second year of health sciences, in the core stream. i joined SOS as a ronald mcdonald subcommittee member last year to spread positivity in the hamilton community, and was introduced to a team of the most passionate, dedicated individuals in the process! as a promotions coordinator, i am beyond excited and honoured to have the opportunity to document and share all of the magic that we create at SOS, and take you along our journey of supporting and uplifting

pediatric patients <3

Rubani Suri

(she/her)

Hey everyone, I'm Jholene and I'm this year's VP Internal here at SOS! my SOS journey started off with being a general member in 2nd year, to being a part of our lovely smiles squad last year :). This year I can't wait to host fun events and meetings for our SOS team and general members alike!

Jholene Massy

(she/her)

Vice President of Internal

Hi everyone! My name is Julia and I am in my fourth year of health sciences. I have been with SOS for two years, first joining as a member of the Dance Marathon subcommittee in my first year, and then serving as a Dance Marathon co-coordinator last year. This year, I will be returning to SOS as the YFit4U coordinator. I have loved working with the volunteers and executive members of SOS, and am super excited to continue contributing to the club’s mission in partnership with the McMaster Children’s Developmental Rehabilitation Program this year!

Julia Zhu

(she/her)

Promotions Coordinator

Y Fit 4 U Coordinator

Hi everyone! My name is Annette (she/her) and I'm a third year Biology & PNB student. I started with SOS as part of the Smiles Squad subcommittee last year and this year I'm so excited to be one of the Fundraising Coordinators! I joined SOS to help bring smiles and positivity to children within the community and I can't wait to continue doing that through fundraising. I'm looking forward to organizing the in-person fundraising events this year and to continue working with such an amazing team! :)

Annette Byrski

(she/her)

Fundraising Coordinator

Hi everyone!! My name is Romina and I am a second year Health Sciences student. I joined Smiling Over Sickness in my first year as apart of the Smiles Squad Subcommittee and I was instantly met with an incredibly positive community! This year, I am very excited to be taking on the role as the Ron Joyce Centre Volunteer Coordinator! It is truly such a joy to engage with the children in the Hamilton community and see their smiles :) I am looking forward to this amazing year!!

Romina Sedighy

(she/her)

Ron Joyce Centre Volunteer Coordinator

Hello everyone! My name is Tiana and I am in my second year of Honours Life Sciences. I started with SOS last year as an RMH subcommittee member, and am so excited to be part of the SOS team as an executive member this year holding the position of Ronald McDonald House Volunteer Coordinator alongside Holly! Throughout my experience with SOS, I have loved being able to give back to the Hamilton community and bring smiles to sick children. I look forward to another year of working with passionate individuals to provide a community and exciting events for pediatric patients and families staying at the RMH.

Tiana Castiglione

(she/her)

Ronald McDonald House Volunteer Coordinator

Hello!! My name is Gajani and I’m going into my third year of the Life Sciences program. I am so grateful that I joined SOS last year as Outreach Coordinator for the Fundraising Subcommittee and now currently being a Fundraising Executive. Being a part of SOS has been an rewarding journey as it’s reminded me of the simple things that bring us a smile. This year its important for me to continue that mission by coordinating more events and creating memories.

Gajani Vetharaniyaseyon

(she/her)

Fundraising Coordinator

Hey everyone, my name is Lauren, and I'm in my third year of Health Sciences! I've absolutely loved being a part of SOS as a Hospital Arts and Crafts volunteer these past two years, so I'm super excited to be the coordinator this year! Crafting with the children and their families at McMaster Children's Hospital has been such an incredibly rewarding experience, and I can't wait to see the new crafts and smiles that this year will bring. I'm looking forward to working with my subcommittee and exec members to continue to bring fun and meaningful events to our communities!

Lauren Kim

(she/her)

Hospital Arts & Crafts Coordinator

Hi everyone! My name is Maddie and I am a third year health sciences student specializing in child health. I joined SOS in my first year as a way to engage with kids and contribute within the Hamilton community. This will be my third year in Smiles Squad and I am beyond excited for all we have planned – including revamping some annual Smiles Squad events as well as launching some new ones. SOS as a whole has been an incredible experience, and I can’t wait to see what this year brings!

Maddie Dick

(she/her)

Smiles Squad Coordinator

Hi everyone! I joined SOS last year as part of the Dance Marathon subcommittee. I had so much fun helping plan the event and was so proud of our hard work that I wanted to take my contributions to the next level. I am so excited to be returning this year as coordinator and can't wait to see what this year's team can bring to the table. My favourite part of DM is getting to see all of our ideas come together in the end!

Sonia Olejarz

(she/her)

Dance Marathon Coordinator

Hey! My name is Holly (she/her) and I am in my third year of the Honours Life Sciences Program here at Mac. I am SO excited to return to the SOS executive team this year as the Ronald McDonald House Volunteer Coordinator! SOS was the very first club that I joined at McMaster and I instantly felt like I was a part of a very special family. Seeing the joy that we have brought to pediatric patients and their families has been so heartwarming, and I can’t wait to continue building amazing memories and see more smiling faces this year!💜

Holly Marini

(she/her)

Ronald McDonald House Coordinator

Another year with SOS, another year of smiles! It has been an incredible pleasure taking part in the SOS community these past two years. Specifically, this past year, the Smiles Squad committee had the privilege of delivering special memories to children and families through our in-person outreach initiatives. I am beyond thrilled to work with the team once again to further our mission of spreading positivity!

Eric Park

(she/her)

Smiles Squad Coordinator

2022-2023 Exec Team

Hover over the images below to learn more about our executive members from last year's team!

Hello! My name is Yusra (she/her) and I am 1/2 of the Smiling Over Sickness 22/23 Co President Team. SOS holds such a near and dear place in my heart; having been a volunteer in the Ronald McDonald House Committee, and then being the volunteer coordinator last year I have met the most wonderful people, and worked with some amazing community partners! My time on SOS is something I will cherish forever and always. I am so excited for this upcoming year, especially because it will be the first time in a few years we will run a lot more large-scale in person events! I strongly encourage you to shoot your shot and apply to be apart of our SOS family - you won't regret it!

Yusra Naqvi

(she/her)

Co-President

Hi! My name is Neil, and I'm a third-year Health Sciences student. I first joined SOS via the Ronald McDonald House subcommittee because of my deep appreciation for what they do to help sick children and their families. Through my amazing club experience last year, I've come to discover that all of SOS is dedicated to incredible initiatives that bring a smile to children when they need one the most. I'm so excited to work with the superb subcommittees and exec team to further these initiatives and our club mission this year as VP Logistics!

Neil Lin

(he/him)

Vice President of Logistics

Being a member of Smile Squad during my first year was truly a rewarding and memorable experience. I am so excited to work with the team this year to continue bringing forth positivity and smiles to children in our community!

Erica Park

(she/her)

Smiles Squad Coordinator

Hi! My name is Ariana (She/Her) and I am a second-year Health Sciences student. I enjoy dancing, music, reading and being involved in my various communities! I joined the SOS team in my first year as Dance Director in the Dance Marathon subcommittee and this year I will be enthusiastically taking on the position of Dance Marathon Coordinator. The SOS initiative is one that I hold dear to my heart due to its amazing cause and all the wonderful people it serves. This year I am looking forward to working on an amazing team, with and for the Hamilton community!

Ariana Petrazzini

(she/her)

Dance Marathon Coordinator

Hey everyone! I’m Cassandra and I’m in my fourth year of BDC. I'm incredibly excited to be a part of the SOS team again this year, having initially started in the Ronald McDonald House and then the Ron Joyce Center! I’m so excited to be the Ron Joyce Center Volunteer Coordinator and have a successful 2022-2023. I’m grateful I get to work with such hardworking and amazing individuals and cannot wait to see what this year brings :)

Cassandra Chan

(she/her)

Ron Joyce Centre Volunteer Coordinator

Hey! My name is Abarnaa (she/her), and I’m in my fourth year of Health Sciences in the Child Health Specialization. This year I am incredibly excited to be serving as SOS President alongside Yusra. Ever since starting off in the Hospital Arts and Craft Subcommittee during my first year at McMaster, I have been so proud and grateful to be a part of a community dedicated to making a positive impact on the children in the Hamilton community. Looking forward to the great year ahead of us!

Abarnaa Illango

(she/her)

Co-President

Hi everyone! My name's Mason, and I'm a third-year Health Sciences student. I first joined SOS as a Graphic Designer for the Smiles Squad subcommittee, where I got to work on the creation of an activity book for kids in the Hamilton community, and am now so excited to serve as one of the two Communications and Promotions coordinators! I'm looking forward to the potential return of lots of in-person events this upcoming year, and am so excited to continue to work with our team to bring smiles to children in our community!

Mason Anderson

(he/him)

Communications and Promotions Coordinator

I joined SOS in my first year as a way to work with kids and engage with the Hamilton community. This will be my second year in Smiles Squad, and I am beyond excited for all we have planned! I’m especially thrilled for the potential return of many in-person events and traditions after being online for so long. SOS has been an incredible opportunity and I can’t wait to see what this year brings!

Maddie Dick

(she/her)

Smiles Squad Coordinator

Hi everyone! My name is Julia and I'm in my third year of Health Sciences. I started with SOS last year as a member of the Dance Marathon events subcommittee, and am so excited to be a part of the SOS team again as one of the Dance Marathon coordinators! Throughout my experience with SOS, I have loved being able to give back to the Hamilton community, while also combining my passion for dance. I’m looking forward to another year of working with passionate and determined individuals to put together an amazing Dance Marathon!

Julia Zhu (she/her)

Dance Marathon Coordinator

Hi everyone:) My name is Aleesha, and I'm a third-year Health Sciences student. I am so excited to be one of this year's Fundraising Co-Coordinators alongside Nina! Being on SOS has definitely been my highlight of university. It's such a close-knit, welcoming team and it's been amazing to contribute to a cause so close to my heart. I started on SOS as a Ronald McDonald House Subcommittee member where I had the opportunity to make wonderful friends and support members of my community. This year, I am most looking forward to our fundraising event Shave4ACure! I can't wait to organize in-person events again, and I know it's going to be an incredible year!

Aleesha Sheikh

(she/her)

Fundraising Coordinator

Hey! My name is Holly (she/her) and I am in my second year of the Honours Life Sciences Program here at Mac. I am SO excited to be on the SOS executive team this year as the Ronald McDonald House Coordinator! SOS was the very first club that I joined at McMaster and I instantly felt like I was a part of a very special family. Seeing the joy that we have brought to families and their children has been so heartwarming, and I can’t wait to build more amazing memories and see some smiling faces in person this year!💜

Holly Marini

(she/her)

I have been part of the DM subcomittee first as Dance Director and then as a co-coordinator. I joined SOS because I liked its goal of providing smiles to the patients and families of the McMaster Children's Hospital. I have found SOS initiatives to be effective, unique, and diverse as they range from fundraising and directly interacting with the children. This year I am looking forward to more in-person events to engage the Mac community.

Ravi Verma (he/him)

Vice President of Finance

Hello! My name is Vivien (she/her) and I'm one of the Communication & Promotions Coordinators. I am going into my fourth year of BDC. I took a little hiatus from SOS but I started off on the Dance Marathon subcommittee as one of the Directors of Media & Design. I wanted to rejoin SOS for my final year because of how fun and impactful being on SOS can be. I look forward to the new challenges this year will bring and I hope to engage more McMaster students with SOS events and initiatives through promotions!

Vivien Trinh

(she/her)

Communications and Promotions Coordinator

Hi folks, my name is Josephine or Jo (she/her) and I'm super excited to be a part of SOS again this year as the Hospital Arts and Crafts Coordinator! I first joined SOS in my first year as a Smiles Squad member, before serving as the Communications and Promotions Coordinator for the last two years. I'm looking forward to bringing smiles to the children and families at the McMaster Children’s Hospital with the help of my amazing committee members, and I simply cannot wait to see what our team will achieve together over the next year!

Josephine Ding

(she/her)

Hospital Arts and Crafts Coordinator

I am so excited to help facilitate the transition back to an in person setting after being a Y Fit 4 U volunteer for the past couple of years. I have loved every moment of volunteering and it makes me so happy to be able to contribute to the fitness goals of youth in the McMaster Children's Developmental Rehabilitation Program. I look forward to collaborating with my wonderful team of volunteers, community partners, and executive members to spread kindness, smiles, and awareness about the importance of inclusive exercise.

Nicole Shen

(she/her)

Y Fit 4 U Coordinator

Hey everyone! My name is Nina and I am entering my third year of the nursing program! This year, I'm so excited to be taking on the role of Fundraising Coordinator alongside Aleesha! I joined SOS last year as the Social Media/Design Coordinator for Fundraising and I loved it. I made great connections and had so much fun helping to raise funds and awareness for such fantastic organizations. I'm so excited to meet the incoming subcommittee members and I'm looking forward to planning our amazing in-person fundraisers for the year!

Nina Haskin

(she/her)