Minister of Children and Family Development Stephanie Cadieux, on behalf of Premier Christy Clark, will present Chad Farquharson and Wayne McGill, two well-known Surrey citizens, with the province’s newest honour, the Medal of Good Citizenship.

The ceremony will be held Friday, March 10 at 5:30 p.m. in the B.C. Children’s Hospital Chieng Family Atrium.

Launched in July 2015 by Premier Clark, the prestigious Medal of Good Citizenship recognizes individuals who, through exceptional long-term service, have made outstanding contributions to their communities without expectation of remuneration or reward. The medal reflects their generosity, service, acts of selflessness and contributions to community life. Nominations for the Medal of Good Citizenship are accepted year-round.

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Farquharson and McGill will be honoured with the medal for being unrelenting advocates for B.C. families who have children with medical needs, and have provided hundreds of families with healthy snacks while they care for their hospitalized child.

Their life-changing journey began when their newly adopted son was diagnosed with an extremely rare metabolic disorder. After spending time in the intensive care unit and on the ward, Chad and Wayne became passionate advocates, doing countless hours of public speaking and engagements in support of B.C. Children’s Hospital, The Rare Disease Foundation, and Canadian PKU and Allied Disorders.

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But their commitment to others doesn’t stop there. Having spent time in ICU with Grayson, they know that eating properly, or at all, takes a backseat when your child is critically ill and needs you. So they started a program called “From Our Family to Yours” and for more than a year, twice per week, they have been dropping off food baskets of healthy snacks to the B.C. Children’s Hospital ICU and the BC Women’s Hospital NICU for families to help themselves to while they are caring for their child.

They provide much of the funds themselves but have also reached out to others through a GoFundMe page to allow other families and individuals to help support the food basket program.

Farquharson and McGill are among a select group of British Columbians who will receive the Medal of Good Citizenship over the next few months.

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Quotes:

Premier Christy Clark –

“Even when Wayne McGill and Chad Farquharson faced some of the worst news any new parents can get, they reached out to help others walking a similar journey. The support they have given fellow parents caring for seriously ill children can never be repaid – and will never be forgotten.”

Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training, and chair of the Medal of Good Citizenship Selection Committee –

“The Medal of Good Citizenship recognizes the people in our province who generously and selflessly volunteer their time, effort and skills to make their community better. It was inspiring to work with the selection committee to review nominations and see how one person can make a difference. This year, as we celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary, it is important to recognize individuals who make their communities and, ultimately, their country better.”

Stephanie Cadieux, Minister of  Children and Family Development –   

“Each day, Chad and Wayne cope with the unimaginable stresses, both financial and emotional of raising a child with significant health issues – and yet they choose to focus on and be positive role models for their young son, and our community.  They are truly deserving of recognition for their efforts to support and make a difference in the lives of thousands of families.

Their selfless commitment to making a small but meaningful impact on each family struggling with a sick child is the definition for me of what it means to be an exemplary citizen.”             

Chad Farquharson, Medal of Good Citizenship recipient –

“We can never pay back the life-saving and life-sustaining support that our son has received, so we seize every opportunity to take that goodwill and pay it forward. Our son’s medical condition has become a journey of hope, support, outreach, awareness, and inclusion...and he's just six years old.” 

Wayne McGill, Medal of Good Citizenship recipient –

“Everything we do, we do in support of our child and to show our appreciation for those that have done so much for us. We are never able to put into words the level of love, gratitude, and joy we have experienced, so action is the best way to teach our son and say thank you.”

Quick Facts:

• The Medal of Good Citizenship was launched in 2015 to recognize individuals who, through exceptional long-term volunteer efforts, have made outstanding contributions to the well-being of their communities.
• Since the first medal was presented in October 2015, 24 individuals and two communities have been named as recipients of the Medal of Good Citizenship.
• Nominations for the Medal of Good Citizenship are accepted year-round.
• An independent Selection Committee reviews nominations and recommends recipients.
• All regions in the province were represented on the Medal of Good Citizenship Selection Committee and members came from various professional backgrounds.
• Additional medal presentation ceremonies will be held across the province in the coming months.

Learn More:

To learn more about the medal, or to nominate a good citizen in your community, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/medalofgoodcitizenship

To view photos of recipient ceremonies, visit:  https://flic.kr/s/aHskw9MKjm

Find out more about previous recipients of the Medal of Good Citizenship: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/celebrating-british-columbia/honours-and-awards/medal-good-citizenship/recipients