Who We Are
What We Do
The Love For Lewiston Foundation raises critical funds for the SMA Community and The Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation. With the help of our volunteers, donors, sponsors and partners, we have raised over $2 Million, changing the lives of families and individuals living with SMA.
Since 2017, we’ve proudly partnered with the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation to support the Rotary Flames House, critical research, and many Alberta Children's Hospital program initiatives. Together we have donated over $600,000 to the Alberta Children's Hospital to support critical programs like Newborn Screening research, Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy for Epilepsy (LITT), Rotary Flames House (the Hospice where Lewiston passed) and the Build Them Up campaign for the Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
How It All Started
With 8 weeks to Lewiston’s first birthday, the Olstad family decided to throw a dance party rather than a pity party. They set a goal of raising $10K for The Alberta Children’s Hospital where they had spent much of their time with Lewiston. They simply wanted to give back to a remarkable facility. In one night the community rallied together and raised $42K. After experiencing first hand what it is like to navigate an SMA diagnosis and understanding the cost associated with living with the condition, we couldn’t stop at $42K. With the help of our incredible Calgary community the Love For Lewiston Foundation was then born.
An official society
To make everything legit, as in an Alberta-registered society, the paperwork was prepared during the planning phases of Lewiston’s 1st Bday but not expected to be completed for months. On Lewiston's first birthday, Jessica received a call the morning of the party, declaring that the paperwork had been processed, approved and certified, making the Love For Lewiston Foundation an official society in 2021.
The Love For Lewiston Foundation is a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency.
The Heart
One of Olstad’s best friends from Noble Agency designed a website overnight and logo to help share the journey and keep people posted on ways they could help. The heart logo is now recognized all over the world as a symbol of what Lewiston represented and the life lessons he taught us. Sometimes we are hardest on the ones closest to us.
No matter what is going on around you carve time out for love. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just like the heart. Lewiston taught us that in his short 6 months, we aim to spread that message.
The heart now represents people we’re trying to touch – encouraging them to choose movement, which brings the joy and allows us to spread love. Our fight is no longer just SMA, it’s about encouraging people to live full, bold and joyful lives
Please note that permission is required to use or apply Lewiston’s heart to any fundraising or other activities or initiatives. For permission, please contact hello@loveforlewiston.ca.