SickKids Foundation originally created the Humanitarian Awards Program to recognize and honour students at SickKids who have consistently demonstrated compassion and humanitarianism in providing care to children and their families. The Student Awards remain at the heart of the program.

The awards are open to any student who has trained full- or part-time at SickKids for a minimum period of one semester during the year ending December 31, 2007.

Named for Dr. Robert B. Salter at the 1999 Humanitarian Awards ceremony, in honour of his lifetime of humanitarianism, this award recognizes and honours medical health professionals or support staff at SickKids who have consistently demonstrated qualities of compassion and humanitarianism in providing care to patients and their families.

At the discretion of the Selection Committee, The Claus Wirsig Humanitarian Award will be given to an individual who has consistently communicated the values of compassion and humanitarianism to others through a teaching role.

Claus Wirsig Humanitarian Award nominees may be engaged in peer to peer education, and/or may have a formal or informal teaching role with students. Other forms of teaching will also be considered – nominators should clearly outline the ways in which the nominee teaches the values of compassion and humanitarianism.

Conceived by the Family Advisory Committee in celebration of the 1994 International Year of the Family, this award recognizes and honours a staff person, employee or team at SickKids who provides care to patients in a manner that demonstrates outstanding commitment to the philosophy of family-centered care. Family-centered care recognizes that the family is the primary caregiver and decision-maker in a child's life.

When developing a course of treatment, family-centered caregivers consider the emotional and developmental needs of the child, as well as his/her medical condition. Individuals and teams eligible for this award share medical and other information about each child with parents and ask for their opinion regarding the child's care. Because the impact of a child's illness affects all aspects of the family's life, the individual needs of the family are always considered and respected.

To be eligible for this award, an individual or a team of health care providers must be nominated by a family. One award will be made each year.

Created in 2001 to commemorate the International Year of the Volunteer, This award recognizes and honours volunteers who consistently demonstrate the qualities of compassion and humanitarianism while providing assistance to patients and families at SickKids.

This award is open to members of the Women's Auxiliary, volunteers from Volunteer Resources at SickKids, and volunteers from any other service organization or group who perform volunteer work at the hospital.

Individuals or teams may be nominated by a family, a member of SickKids staff or another volunteer.