John Myers, Mark Gray and Allan Becker - Teddy Awardee 2006

Congratulations to John Myers, Mark Gray and Allan Becker recipients of the Teddy Awards from the Children's Hospital Foundation for 2006.

John Myers has contributed in many, many ways to improving the health of children in Manitoba, and most specifically he was the moving force behind the Teddy Bear's Picnic for its first seven years. I know it has been a labour of love, for I have seen John at the picnic - and been constantly amazed at his energy and his ability to bring together an incredible team to make this a success year after year. John has helped in so many different ways - and in recent years as Chair of the Development Committee of the Manitoba Institute of Child Health.

Mark Gray, a lawyer and a chartered accountant, has brought his substantial talents to help improve the health of children in Manitoba. Serving as President of the Children's Hospital Foundation in the 1990s and in many other roles, Mark Gray has helped substantially with the development of the Manitoba Institute of Child Health. He was also instrumental in starting the Foundation's Planned giving Program - a program which has been very successful.

Dr. Allan Becker is a leader in asthma and allergy research in Canada. He spent a number of years in family practice in Dauphin, Manitoba before focusing on allergies and asthma in children. In recent years he has been the co-principle investigator of a large effort to find ways to prevent the develoment of asthma - the Canadian Asthma Primary Prevention Study, and a leader in research looking at roles of the environment, of genetic predisposition and of factors like obesity in the development of asthma.

Well done John, Mark and Allan - and thank you.