9-year-old girl with severe scoliosis leads the charge at Montreal hospital fundraiser

Emma Corbett, a nine-year-old Montrealer who suffers from severe scoliosis, had her time to shine Friday morning as the spokeschild for the 32nd annual Pedal for Kids event.

The event raises money for the Montreal Children’s Hospital and has been helping kids like Emma live fuller, happier lives for over three decades.

Emma suffers from a rare and severe form of scoliosis, a condition that impacts her everyday life. But thanks to Pedal for Kids, she’s been able to live a more active lifestyle, and has even learned how to ride a bike.

“Sometimes I go to the park or on my street but it makes me feel very happy,” Emma said.

For Emma’s mom, the charity has offered overwhelming support.

“The amount of money that people give to support children,” Cari Friedman said, “is just … it’s amazing.”

Founder and chairperson Michael Conway started Pedal for Kids in 1992 in memory of his daughter Meagan, who passed away after fighting a heart condition.

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“We’ve raised almost $14.5 million cumulative over that time,” Conway said.

The hospital’s longest-running charity has helped buy special equipment, particularly for the neonatal care unit.

It also helped build the caramel pavilion, a home away from home for out-of-town families.

“This year’s event, we’re fundraising for a defibrillator that helps a child’s heart start again but also child health educators,” said Renée Vézina, president of the Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Unique to Quebec, the specialized team helps explain illnesses to a child and the procedures they will go through.

“It’s amazing. It really calms our patients and it really calms the parents,” Vézina said.

2:10 Young Montrealer with severe scoliosis defies odds and leads fundraiser

To close out the fundraising event every year, participants ride a 30-seat mighty bike through downtown. Anthony Pepper has steered the ship for 16 years.

“We have teams from the hospital, the trauma department and the ER department who also ride and it is just amazing to see what they do on a daily basis that we take for granted,” Pepper said.

This year’s event raised $430,000. surpassing the goal by $30,000.