Date of issue: May 6, 2004
Printer: Lowe-Martin Company
Design: Monique Dufour and Sophie Lafortune; based on a photograph by Serge Lacroix and illustration by Paule Thibault
Montreal Children’s Hospital
The Montreal Children’s Hospital was founded in 1904 by Dr. Alexander Forbes. As with many other hospitals, it underwent significant changes as Montreal’s population increased and medicine developed in the 20th century. Following its opening in a small building on Guy Street, it moved to new and larger buildings on the side of Mount Royal in 1909 and then closer to downtown in 1956. In 2015, it moved once again to the Glen site of the McGill University Health Center.
The focus of the Hospital was initially infectious disease. With time, specialized programs such as cardiology, neurology, and psychiatry were introduced. In 1920, it became an affiliated teaching hospital of McGill University, with which it pioneered care in such diverse fields as speech therapy and medical genetics. A number of medical milestones have been associated with the Hospital, including the creation of Canada’s first Social Services Department, the world’s first respirator, and Canada’s first pediatric bone marrow transplant.
The Stamp
The stamp commemorates the Hospital’s 100th anniversary. Teddy bears, symbolizing comfort in the time of need, are shown in the front. Two are undergoing treatment (respirator mask and intravenous line); the third appears to be a doctor or nurse. The bear’s different colors illustrate the ethnically diverse population seen at the hospital. Behind the bears are photographs of two caregivers, one from the early part of each century the hospital has been functioning. The first-day cover shows three human counterparts of the stamp’s bears.
