About Us
McMaster Smiling Over Sickness was founded in 2002 with the mission of helping sick children smile. Since then, it has grown to become one of the largest and most influential student-run organizations at McMaster, with over 600 general members, 45 volunteers, 20 junior executives, and 13 senior executives.
We strive to raise awareness and support for pediatric patients through our fundraising and volunteer initiatives. Last year, we raised over $10,000 towards local and national organizations that align with our vision, while our dedicated volunteers collectively performed over 1,500 hours of community service to help bring joy and support for patients and their families at Ronald McDonald House, McMaster Children’s Hospital, Cootes Paradise Elementary School, and the Ron Joyce Rehabilitation Centre, Les Chater YMCA.
In addition, we are also committed to engaging with children in the greater Hamilton Community. We organize large-scale community-building events each year, providing the opportunity for McMaster students to be excellent role models for children in the community and encouraging them to pursue their own community involvement and volunteerism.
Our community contributions have earned our organization the title of MSU Club of the Year during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years. As well, we were honoured to be selected as the 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2016 recipient of the J. Lynn Watson Award for Community Service, which recognizes the McMaster student group that has made the greatest contribution towards charitable giving each year.
With our exceptional fundraising efforts, community engagement, and volunteering initiatives, McMaster Smiling Over Sickness has helped to bring the McMaster community together for a cause that touches the hearts of many students and faculty members.
Awards
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2012-13 and 2013-14 MSU Club of the Year
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2016-17 MSU Community Service Awards
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J. Lynn Watson Award for Community Service 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2022
Meet the Team
Hover over the images below to learn more about each member of the 2023-24 executive team!
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Hi everyone!! My name is Romina Sedighy and I am going into my third year of Health Sciences! I joined SOS in my first year as a Smiles Squad Designer and last year I had the privilege of being the Coordinator for the Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre. I am beyond excited to be a Co-President this year! SOS is such a wonderful club; it’s truly a joy to engage with the children in the Hamilton community and spread so many smiles! I am so excited for the wonderful year to come!!
Romina Sedighy
(she/her)
Co-President
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Hi! My name is Sam and I'm a 4th year Health Sciences student. Some fun facts: I have been a part of SOS since my first year - two years on RMH and last year as VP Admin, I love to coach blind hockey, and I have met some of my closest friends through SOS. From the moment I joined SOS, I have been deeply moved by the unwavering support we provide to sick children and their families. This year as Co-President I am thrilled and motivated to lead the executive team in propelling these initiatives forward and fulfilling our club's mission!
Samantha Rutherford
(she/her)
Co-President
Hey everyone!!! My name is Emma and I’m currently a third-year Biochemistry Co-op student here at Mac. I started out with SOS just last year with the Ronald McDonald House subcommittee and was instantly met with a team of the most kind-hearted, passionate individuals. There is nothing more profound and fulfilling than being able to give back to the Hamilton community, and so far I’ve loved every second of it. This year, I can’t wait to collaborate with the SOS team and work hard to continue supporting pediatric patients and their families!
Emma Xi
(she/her)
Vice President of Administration
Hey! I'm David and I'm entering my third year of Health Sciences. I'm so excited to return as VP Finance to see what's in store for SOS this year! Our community of volunteers and execs are so welcoming and we truly make a profound impact on the local community. I'm excited to work with my fellow executives to have even more exciting events and initiatives this year!
David Gou
(he/him)
Vice President of Finance
Hi, I'm Rubani, and I'm the SOS VP Internal! I'm in my third year of Health Sciences, in the core stream. I joined SOS in my first year, as a Ronald McDonald subcommittee member, and have been honoured to be a part of the team ever since! As VP Internal, I am beyond excited to be in charge of planning fun events and socials for the entire SOS team, and being able to share the magic and love of SOS with you all :)
Rubani Suri
(she/her)
Vice President of Internal
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Hi everyone, my name is Asvenya! I joined SOS as a subcommittee member of Ron Joyce in my first and second year, and I'm super excited to be joining SOS again this year as one of the promotions coordinators! During the last two years I've been on the team, I've witnessed firsthand the incredible dedication and collaboration SOS showcases through engaging with children in the Hamilton community. I can’t wait to work with this year’s amazing team to capture and promote the exciting endeavors of SOS, and continue to spread smiles across Hamilton while supporting pediatric patients! :)
Asvenya Kokulakumaran
(she/her)
Hi! I’m Serena, one of the promotions coordinators for this year! I’m entering my third year of Health Sciences. I joined SOS as a Ron Joyce subcommitee member last year, and volunteering was an incredibly rewarding experience. I'm excited to continue spreading smiles within the Hamilton community with our incredible team this year!
Serena Wei
(she/her)
Promotions Coordinator
Promotions Coordinator
I have been part of SOS in the YFit subcommittee since my first year, and it’s hard to put in words how memorable and impactful experiences I’ve had. From enjoying the bus rides to the YMCA together to laughing with the kids while exercising, it has brought quite some change in my life. I can’t understate how I have also been inspired and motivated to become regular in the gym, after seeing the commitment of the kids.
Om D. Patel(he/him)
Y Fit 4 U Coordinator
Hey everyone! My name is Annette and I'm excited to be returning to SOS as a Fundraising Coordinator! I'm entering my fourth year of Biology & PNB and can't wait to continue my journey with SOS!! I started in Smiles Squad in my second year and became a Fundraising Coordinator last year. Being part of SOS has been one of the greatest experiences of my undergrad, and I'm excited for what this year brings! I'm especially looking forward to the Locks 4 Love fundraiser and spreading smiles to children in our community :)
Annette Byrski
(she/her)
Fundraising Coordinator
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Hi everyone! My name is Gajani and I have been part of SOS since my second year of university. Deciding to be a part of SOS has been one of the most rewarding decision I have made in university, as the effort has never been left unnoticed. Since my first day here I have always been a part of the Fundraising committee and every year we strive to have our events be bigger. Being surrounded by such a motivating and hardworking team has made every year so memorable! And I can't wait to see what we all have in store for this year :)
Gajani Vetharaniyaseyon
(she/her)
Fundraising Coordinator
Hi everyone! I joined SOS last year as part of the Dance Marathon subcommittee. I had so much fun helping plan the event and was so proud of our hard work that I wanted to take my contributions to the next level. I am so excited to be returning this year as coordinator and can't wait to see what this year's team can bring to the table. My favourite part of DM is getting to see all of our ideas come together in the end!
Nishta Patel
(she/her)
Dance Marathon Coordinator
Hi everyone!!! My name is Nicholina and I started as a subcommittee member with the RJCHC team. I have always loved working with kids and serving in healthcare and so I decided to join SOS as a means of collaborating with individuals who share that passion and who I can hope to make a difference with. In my time with SOS, I saw the beautiful work being done at the RJCHC and the undeniable impact that our team was able to have. I was inspired by these experiences and am now excited to serve as the RJCHC coordinator with SOS. :)
Nicholina Boutros
(she/her)
Ron Joyce Centre Volunteer Coordinator
hi everyone! my name is jessie, and i’m in third year biochemistry. volunteering with SOS at McMaster's Children Hospital has been such a fulfilling experience, and i'm thrilled to continue the great work as coordinator! i can't wait to see what this year has in store for us, and look forward to bringing more smiles through our crafts <3
Jessie Liu
(she/her)
Hospital Arts & Crafts Coordinator
Hey! My name is Holly (she/her) and I am in my fourth year of the Honours Life Sciences Program. I am SO excited to return to the SOS exec team as the Ronald McDonald House Volunteer Coordinator! SOS was the very first club that I joined at McMaster and I instantly felt like I was a part of a very special family. Seeing the joy that we have brought to paediatric patients and their families has been so heartwarming, and I can’t wait to continue building amazing memories and see more smiling faces this year! 💜
Holly Marini
(she/her)
Ronald McDonald House Coordinator
Hi everyone!! I’m Tiana, a 3rd year Honours Life Sciences student minoring in Psychology. My SOS journey began in first year as an RMH subcommittee member, then progressed to RMH co-executive coordinator, and now I am thrilled to step into the role of McMaster Hospital executive coordinator for the upcoming year. SOS’s mission of bringing smiles to sick children’s faces is beyond heartwarming. I am so excited for another year of making a positive impact on our local community alongside such a wonderful team!
Tiana Castiglione
(she/her)
Hospital Coordinator
Hi everyone! My name is Maddie and I am a fourth year health sciences student specializing in child health. This is now my fourth year on Smiles Squad, so this final run is both exciting and bittersweet. I am beyond thrilled for all we have planned, including revamping our initiatives, increasing our outreach, and of course, lots of time spent with kids. SOS is always an incredible experience, and I can’t wait to see what this year brings!
Maddie Dick
(she/her)
Smiles Squad Coordinator
In first year, I knew I wanted to work with an organization dedicated to making children smile. So, as you can expect, when I came across SOS, the name itself was already so perfect. I started off my SOS journey as a Smiles Squad subcommittee member, which enabled me to continue my contributions to the community during the pandemic. Post-pandemic, I took on a larger role as the Smiles Squad Coordinator, which brought forth so many exciting opportunities to revamp the subcommittee and expand its initiatives. This will be my third year as the Smiles Squad coordinator. I am so excited to be back one last time to witness the children's laughter and spark of creativity, as well as the growth of all SOS members!
Erica Park
(she/her)