Do you dare to wear a red cape?
Barb Underhill is a superhero raising funds for kids with disabilities. Before dawn on January 30th she grabbed her skates, donned her cape, faced sub-zero temperatures and arrived at Leaside Arena to join all the other superheroes supporting Holland-Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital’s Capes on Ice event.
Capes on Ice is one of Holland-Bloorview’s Capes for Kids 2026 campaign events helping to celebrating Capes for Kids’ 10th anniversary.
At precisely 6:45 a.m. Capes on Ice kicked off with participants skating laps, followed by a sledge hockey demo. Next, Barb Underhill provided on-ice skating skills coaching.
Barb is a skating skills coach for NHL teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning. She breaks down players’ strides, focusing on edge work, posture, and efficiency to make players faster and more balanced. She is also a former Olympian and pairs skating 1984 world champion with skating partner Paul Martini. Following Barb’s coaching session, the morning concluded with hot chocolate and snacks.
Other pros wearing capes
Barb is not alone; other pro athletes are daring to wear a Cape for Kids. The Toronto Sceptres of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) are raising awareness of the annual Capes for Kids campaign at their March 3 game at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Players have also visited the hospital, signed autographs and distributed swag to support the Capes for Kids fundraiser, which runs March 6-13, with participants enthusiastically wearing their capes to support kids with disabilities.
Thanks to Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the National Basketball League’s Raptors entered all early-bird donors into a draw for a behind-the-scenes experience, during the NBA All Star weekend Feb 13-16th. Included was a pre-game meet-the-players and dinner with Jamaal Magloire, a former Raptor and current assistant Raptors coach born and raised in Scarborough. Also included were game tickets, post-game photos and shooting hoops on the court.
According to Ashleigh Saith, Holland-Bloorview’s vice president of strategy and public engagement, “This year all Capes for Kids funds raised will contribute to Holland-Bloorview’s Together We Dare campaign. This ambitious 100-million-dollar campaign dares us to think differently about disabilities and take action to raise funds to shape the future of disability healthcare for kids across Canada.”
She added, “Holland Bloorview is Canada’s hospital for kids with disabilities. The campaign will establish a Centre of Excellence in Childhood Disability aiming to unlock new discoveries through research and cutting-edge technology and address healthcare gaps. Ultimately, enabling kids to dream, learn, play and belong.”
