Kids at CHEO Get Special Call from Santa

OTTAWA - December 18, 2006 - While everyone knows that the real Santa Claus is in the North Pole busily preparing for Christmas, he agreed, with the help of Cisco, to take time out of his busy schedule to speak with CHEO patients today. Through the magic of Internet video telephony, Santa interacted with hospitalized children and their families at CHEO.

“Christmas is such a magical time for children and we want to ensure that hospitalized children didn’t miss out on any of the holiday traditions and festivities,” said Nora Ullyot, Child Life Specialist at CHEO. “That includes a visit with Santa. We are thrilled that Cisco was able to help us realize this.”

“Cisco has a strong belief of using the power of the network to help change the way we work, live, learn and play,” commented Garth Scully, regional manager for Cisco. “The children here don’t care how the technology works, they just know that by pressing a single button, they can see, hear and talk to Santa about their wish lists this Christmas.”

The interaction uses the network infrastructure of the hospital and allows Internet Protocol communications to provide simultaneous voice and video to the children connecting with Santa in the North Pole.

CHEO is the only Canadian hospital to benefit from Santa’s virtual visit. Children were given an opportunity to see and talk with Santa during a special video telephone call that connected kids with the North Pole by pressing a single button. The children and family members gathered in a CHEO playroom where the video telephony equipment was set up for the calls. Each child who spoke with Santa was given a toy donated by Cisco and Mattel.
About CHEO

CHEO is a 150-bed independent, tertiary pediatric teaching hospital dedicated to the care of children and youth of this community who require specialized pediatric health services. CHEO is affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa and through its Research Institute conducts leading edge research in child and youth illnesses. Visit us at www.cheo.on.ca
About Cisco Systems

Cisco, (NASDAQ: CSCO), is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com/ca. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com/canada/.

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