NEWS RELEASE

SHAW COMMUNICATIONS AND BC CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION RAISE
$405,001.00 THROUGH “A WORLD OF SMILES” TELETHON

 Money Raised Benefits the BC Children’s Hospital 

CALGARY, AB (June 2, 2009) – Shaw Communications joined BC Children’s Hospital Foundation and BC’s South Asian community to help raise $405,001.00 through “A World of Smiles” Telethon. 

The telethon is a major fundraising event held May 31 and aired on Shaw Multicultural Channel and Shaw TV throughout British Columbia. Funds raised from the event benefit BC Children’s Hospital, Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children and the Child & Family Research Institute supporting ongoing research, equipment and clinical care needs. 

“BC Children’s Hospital touches the lives of families in every community in our province,” said Sue Carruthers, President and CEO of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. “The overwhelming success of ‘A World of Smiles Telethon’ reflects the connection that people feel to the hospital and the concern that we all share for the health of our children.”

“We are really pleased to host the annual telethon and support the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation,” said Peter Bissonnette, President of Shaw Communications Inc. “Shaw is a family company, and we recognize the depth of the services that BC Children’s Hospital provides to the province’s children, their families and our community. This was the first year that we have carried the telethon on Shaw TV across BC, and it’s clear that the work of the hospital has touched families in every corner of the province.”      

Funds raised through the telethon will be presented at the 22^nd annual BC Children's Hospital Miracle Weekend taking place June 6 and 7 on Global Television.  

Since 1990, Shaw Multicultural Channel has partnered with BC Children’s Hospital Foundation and television producers from local communities to produce fundraising telethons in support of the Hospital’s ongoing research, equipment and clinical care needs.

About Shaw Communications Inc.
Shaw Communications Inc. is a diversified communications company whose core business is providing broadband cable television, High-Speed Internet, Digital Phone, telecommunications services (through Shaw Business Solutions) and satellite direct-to-home services (through Shaw Direct). The company serves 3.4 million customers, including over 1.6 million Internet and 700,000 Digital Phone customers, through a reliable and extensive network, which comprises  625,000 kilometres of fibre. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 index (Symbol: TSX - SJR.B, NYSE - SJR).

About BC Children’s Hospital
BC Children’s Hospital is the province’s only full-service acute care hospital and serves the one million children living in BC and the Yukon. All children who are seriously ill or injured are referred to Children’s Hospital and are either treated at the hospital facility in Vancouver or, with consultation from Children’s specialists, in their home community. Last year, more than 72,000 children were treated at Children’s Hospital. BC Children’s Hospital Foundation received donations from more than 82,000 people last year and had revenues of over $54.4 million. Funds raised by the Foundation are used to support BC Children’s Hospital, Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children and the Child & Family Research Institute. For more information, please go to www.bcchf.ca.

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SHAW COMMUNICATIONS AND BC CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION RAISE
$500,011.00 THROUGH “A WORLD OF SMILES” TELETHON

 Money Raised Will Benefit the BC Children’s Hospital and
Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children

CALGARY, AB (March 17, 2008) – Shaw Communications joined BC Children’s Hospital Foundation to help raise $500,011.00 through “A World of Smiles” Telethon. “A World of Smiles” Telethon is a major fundraising event held March 16 on Shaw Multicultural Channel and simulcast on Shaw TV in Vancouver and Nanaimo. Funds raised from the event will benefit BC Children’s Hospital, Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children and the Child & Family Research Institute supporting ongoing research, equipment and clinical care needs. 

“Our friends at Shaw and our supporters in the South Asian community have shown once again how much they care for BC’s kids,” said Sue Carruthers, President and CEO of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. “We have been hosting this event for a decade now, and the level of success grows with each passing year. We are grateful for the decade of support this event has received from Shaw and the South Asian community.” 

Funds raised through the telethon will be presented at the 21^st annual BC Children's Hospital Miracle Weekend taking place May 31 and June 1 on Global Television.

“Shaw is proud to be involved in this collaborative initiative in support of children,” said Peter Bissonnette, President of Shaw Communications Inc.  “We are a family company that believes in helping create strong and healthy communities where families can prosper.” 

“A World of Smiles” Telethon showcased entertainment from recent world-class concert events, along with exclusive live studio performances from local artists. This year’s telethon included a Miracle Makers Panel on the phones, where local celebrities and community leaders including businessman Lucky Janda, City of Surrey Councillor Tom Gill and popular comedian Sugar Sammy encouraged pledges and challenged their colleagues to make a difference. The telethon was presented in English with some Hindi and Punjabi musical features.  

Since 1990, Shaw Multicultural Channel has partnered with BC Children’s Hospital Foundation and television producers from local communities to produce fundraising telethons in support of the Hospital’s ongoing research, equipment and clinical care needs.

Shaw Communications Inc. is a diversified communications company whose core business is providing broadband cable television, High-Speed Internet, Digital Phone, telecommunications services (through Shaw Business Solutions) and satellite direct-to-home services (through Star Choice).  The Company serves 3.3 million customers, including approximately 1.5 million Internet and 400,000 residential Digital Phone customers, through a reliable and extensive network, which comprises over 575,000 kilometres of fibre.  Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (Symbol:  TSX – SJR.B, NYSE – SJR).

About BC Children’s Hospital Foundation
|BC Children's Hospital Foundation works with communities to raise funds for essentials such as medical equipment, research into childhood diseases and a range of child health education and training programs. Activities include major gift fundraising, planned giving and a variety of annual programs, such as events, radiothons and telethons. In 2006/2007, the Foundation had revenues of $54.4 million. As steward of philanthropic donations to Children's Hospital, Sunny Hill Health Centre and the Child & Family Research Institute, the Foundation issues charitable receipts and ensures donations are allocated to the areas to which donors have designated their support. For more information, please go to www.bcchf.ca.

See photos of the event.

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SHAW COMMUNICATIONS AND
THE BC CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
RAISE $346,051.00 THROUGH “A WORLD OF SMILES” TELETHON

 Money Raised Will Benefit the BC Children’s Hospital and Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children

CALGARY, AB (May 1, 2007) – Shaw Communications joined the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation to help raise $346,051.00 through “A World of Smiles” Telethon. “A World of Smiles” Telethon is a major fundraising event held April 29th on the Shaw Multicultural Channel and simulcast on ReD 93.1 FM. Funds raised from the event will benefit the BC Children’s Hospital and Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children supporting ongoing research, equipment and clinical care needs. 

 “Thanks to the generosity of local community members and dedicated sponsors such as Shaw Communications, we are giving our children the tools they need to receive the best pediatric care available,” said Sue Carruthers, President and CEO of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. “Fundraising events like ‘A World of Smiles’ Telethon benefit over 67,000 young patients from across British Columbia who depend on the hospital each year.”

 Funds raised through the telethon will be presented at the 20th annual BC Children's Hospital Miracle Weekend taking place June 2nd and 3rd on Global Television.

 “We are very pleased to support the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation,” said Peter Bissonnette, President of Shaw Communications Inc. “Through our relationship with the hospital, Shaw can support and enhance the great services the BC Children’s Hospital provides to the children, their families and our community.”     

 “A World of Smiles” Telethon showcased entertainment from recent world-class concert events, along with exclusive live studio performances from local artists. This year’s telethon included a Miracle Makers Panel on the phones, where local celebrities and community leaders including RCMP officer Baltej Dhillon, Bobby Singh formally of the B.C. Lions, basketball star and coach Pasha Bains, and 'Corporate Sufi' Azim Jamal encouraged pledges and challenged their colleagues to make a difference. The telethon was presented in English with some Hindi and Punjabi musical features.

 Since 1990, Shaw Multicultural Channel has partnered with BC Children’s Hospital Foundation and television producers from local communities to produce fundraising telethons in support of the Hospital’s ongoing research, equipment and clinical care needs.    

About Shaw Communications Inc.
Shaw Communications Inc. is a diversified communications company whose core business is providing broadband cable television, High-Speed Internet, Digital Phone, telecommunications services (through Shaw Business Solutions) and satellite direct-to-home services (through Star Choice) to 3.1 million customers.  Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (Symbol: TSX - SJR.B, NYSE - SJR). 

About BC Children’s Hospital Foundation
BC Children's Hospital Foundation works with communities to raise funds for essentials such as medical equipment, research into childhood diseases and a range of child health education and training programs. Activities include major gift fundraising, planned giving and a variety of annual programs, such as events, radiothons and telethons. In 2005/2006, the Foundation had revenues of $40.9 million. As steward of philanthropic donations to Children's Hospital, Sunny Hill Health Centre and the Child & Family Research Institute, the Foundation issues charitable receipts and ensures donations are allocated to the areas to which donors have designated their support. For more information, please go to www.bcchf.ca.  

Shaw thanks our media partners for their generous support of “A World of Smiles” Telethon.

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“A WORLD OF SMILES” TELETHON RAISES $330,372.00

For BC Children’s Hospital and
Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children

VANCOUVER (April 11, 2006) – Shaw Cablesystems G.P. and BC Children’s Hospital Foundation today announced the final pledge total for “A World of Smiles” Telethon, held April 9 on Shaw Multicultural Channel, Cable 20. The five-hour telethon raised a record total of $330,372.00, nearly tripling last year’s pledge total.

Both Terry Medd, Vice-President of Operations with Shaw Cablesystems, and Sue Carruthers, President and CEO of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, are delighted with the results.

“The community has stepped up and provided such a valuable gift to the children of British Columbia,” says Medd. “Our phone bank was lit up all evening, and we had the whole gamut from children pledging their allowance to help other kids, to families challenging other families, to local businesses making very generous donations. It was an amazing night.”

Carruthers applauded the South Asian community for its vision in supporting child health. “BC Children’s Hospital serves every community in BC, whether defined by geography or ethnicity,” Carruthers said. “The success of ‘A World of Smiles Telethon’ reflects the concern we all share for the well-being of our children and recognition that specialized pediatric healthcare is of vital importance.”

Community producer Atish Ram has hosted the telethon for the past eight years. Ram, who has had personal experience with the hospital’s work, understands that "there is nothing more frightening for a family than having to make that hospital visit with your child. However, I take comfort in knowing that the caregivers at BC Children’s Hospital are very caring and knowledgeable. In producing this telethon, we have found that most people either have a personal story or know someone whose child has required the services of the hospital, and I think that’s why this telethon touches people so deeply year after year.” This year’s telethon is especially close to Ram’s heart; his nephew Sahil was born at the hospital weighing just over a pound.

For the first time, “A World of Smiles” Telethon was simulcast on CKYE 93.1 – RED FM – Vancouver's newest ethnic FM radio station. RED FM is available to listeners throughout the Lower Mainland.