Fifteenth Annual "A World of Smiles" Telethon Raises More Than $335,000 for BC Children's Hospital Foundation

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - May 27, 2013) -

Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this Press Release.

Shaw Communications, BC Children's Hospital Foundation and members of British Columbia's South Asian community are proud to announce that A World of Smiles telethon held on May 26 has raised $335,693 for BC Children's Hospital.

Funds will benefit BC Children's Hospital, Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children and the Child & Family Research Institute, supporting research, equipment and clinical care needs at the facilities. Each year, more than 81,000 children and their families from across the province visit BC Children's Hospital for highly specialized care.

Hosted from Shaw's Coal Harbour studios in Vancouver, A World of Smiles telethon was aired on the Shaw Multicultural Channel in Metro Vancouver, Squamish and Whistler and carried on local Shaw TV stations throughout British Columbia and on Shaw Direct channel 299. The telethon featured homegrown music and dance performances, local celebrity guest appearances and the inspiring stories of youth and their experiences at BC Children's Hospital.

"Giving back to and making a difference in the communities we live in is part of who Shaw is as a company. We are proud to support the BC Children's Hospital Foundation through A World of Smiles telethon," said Brad Shaw, CEO, Shaw Communications Inc. "This year, in the Telethon's 15th year, we are once again overwhelmed by the generosity of British Columbians and their support for the BC Children's Hospital Foundation."

"British Columbia's South Asian community and Shaw Communications have made this year's event another great success," said Teri Nicholas, President and CEO of BC Children's Hospital Foundation. "Their generous support will touch the lives of children and families across the province and ensure our youngest citizens have access to the best possible health care."

Funds raised from the event support the most urgent needs of the hospital including essential services, critical research and advanced technology necessary to make leading pediatric care accessible to all of the province's children. The telethon's proceeds will be presented to the Foundation on Global BC as part of the BC Children's Hospital Miracle Weekend, June 1 and 2.

For more information about the telethon, please visit www.aworldofsmiles.ca.

About Shaw Communications Inc.

Shaw Communications Inc. is a diversified communications and media company, providing consumers with broadband cable television, High-Speed Internet, Home Phone, telecommunications services (through Shaw Business), satellite direct-to-home services (through Shaw Direct) and engaging programming content (through Shaw Media). Shaw serves 3.3 million customers, through a reliable and extensive fibre network. Shaw Media operates one of the largest conventional television networks in Canada, Global Television, and 19 specialty networks including HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, HISTORY® and Showcase. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (TSX:SJR.B)(NYSE:SJR). For more information about Shaw, please visit www.shaw.ca.

About BC Children's Hospital

BC Children's Hospital is the province's only full-service acute-care hospital dedicated to serving the close to 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 in Vancouver or, with consultation from Children's specialists, in their home community. Last year, more than 81,000 children were treated at Children's Hospital. 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 visit www.bcchf.ca and follow @BCCHF on Twitter.

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