LONDON, Ont. -- The London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) has issued a statement clarifying their gift-giving policy at Children’s Hospital.
The statement comes after media reports of the TLC Foundation’s creator being banned from bringing gifts directly to patients and their families at Children’s Hospital.
"Children's Hospital has banned TLC Foundation from entering their property," says Leo Larizza when speaking with CTV’s Brent Lale earlier this week.
However, LHSC says that they are simply asking Larizza to follow the policy that has been put in place to ensure “the health, safety, and privacy of our most vulnerable patients.”
The statement notes that no other donors request personal access to the patients.
“Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) has a gift donation policy that requires all donations to be facilitated through the Children’s Health Foundation.
"Prior to distribution by the health-care teams, items are assessed for safety and appropriateness, and delivery to patients is coordinated with members of the Children’s Hospital care team and family at a time that best suits the patient’s needs,” reads the statement.
The full statement can be found here. It goes on to note that Larizza is banned unless he agrees to follow the policy, but that he is not banned from receiving care at LHSC himself.
Larizza and the TLC Foundation have been donating gifts and wishes to patients at Children’s Hospital for three decades.
For his part Larizza says he is going to continue to giving those gifts despite the current ban.
“I'm going to make sure we find a way to get gifts to these kids...no matter what we have to do."
- With files from CTV London's Brent Lale
