Rachel McAdams donates $10K during hometown charity stream-a-thon

Canada's sweetheart Rachel McAdams surprised viewers in her hometown (from a distance, of course) when she popped up on a live stream for a local London, Ontario fundraiser. Heroes of Health: COVID-19 Stream-a-thon hosted several famous and familiar faces from the sporting and celebrity worlds in an effort to collect emergency funds for healthcare workers at the city’s London Health Sciences Foundation.The Mean Girls actor, who was born in London and grew up nearby, has a close personal connection with the LHSC and the University of Western Ontario’s teaching hospital: “My mom worked at University Hospital for 38 years and still has a lot of friends working there today,” said McAdams. “She was really excited and touched personally that so many people checked in [for this fundraiser].”[video_embed id='-1']RELATED: Rachel McAdams' love for Canada runs deep[/video_embed]And McAdams, whose latest film project has been delayed thanks to the pandemic, did more than just show up for the main event. She also made a personal donation of $10,000 to bring the four-and-a-half-hour event’s total take to $50,000, surpassing their fundraising goal of $20,000. LHSF president and CEO John MacFarlane was thrilled: “People responded to a huge variety of talent, from hockey to Hollywood and musical artists. Times have changed with this pandemic upon us and this could be a great model for future fundraisers.”Like MacFarlane said, McAdams wasn’t the only boldface name to make an appearance during the online event. Max Kerman of the Hamilton-based band Arkells made a virtual stop in and the Leafs’ right winger Mitch Marner, a former London Knights hockey player, also showed up along with legendary Canadian ice skater Scott Moir. Both athletes donated memorabilia to be auctioned off for the cause.The staff at the hospital network has not only been working around the clock to care for the influx of COVID-19 patients, but they’ve also been doing community outreach work, using the LHSC Instagram account to spread the message about how we can all work to flatten the curve. Check out one of their recent posts below.

 

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Staff and physicians in the Operating Room at LHSC's Victoria Hospital are encouraging you to #StayHome. Dr. Rob Leeper, Trauma Surgeon, says that while social distancing and avoiding unnecessary contact is key during this unprecedented time, being kind is also important. “Being kind means making tough choices for yourself that allow others around you, and others you have never met, to stay safe. It means being understanding and thoughtful with one another.” Dr. Leeper has seen kindness in action at LHSC. “I see many of my colleagues practicing kindness, even while dealing with stress and situations that change from hour to hour. I am so inspired by my colleagues who remain kind, calm, and composed in the face of this unprecedented threat.”

A post shared by London Health Sciences Centre (@lhsccanada) on Apr 2, 2020 at 10:00am PDT

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