Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice

Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice

Re-Branding a Leader in Pediatric Hospice Palliative Care

Since 2006, Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice has provided compassionate and comprehensive pediatric hospice palliative care. For children experiencing a progressive, life-limiting illness and for their immediate and extended families, there is no other place in Ottawa, Eastern Ontario, Western Québec and Nunavut like them. They are one of only a handful of pediatric hospice palliative care facilities across Canada.

In 2023, their leadership and board recognized an opportunity. They saw the chance to ensure their brand accurately reflected the depth and focus of their mission, vision and future. While their partnerships with the Ottawa Senators Community Foundation and CHEO remained strong, they wanted to continue honouring their namesake while further defining and establishing their identity as an independent organization. 

They believed it was time to examine how their brand could better communicate who they are today—and who they aspire to be tomorrow.  

That’s where we came in, partnering with their board, the senior leadership team—Megan Wright, Bruno Perrier, and Nahal Yazdani—and our trusted branding colleague Sandra Markus to craft a rebrand that honoured their legacy and partnerships while positioning them for the future. 

“McGill Buckley helped us create a reimagined brand that authentically reflects who we are, what we believe in, and our commitment to the children, youth, and families we serve. Their creativity, attitude, approach, expertise, laid-back style and collaborative and supportive nature made this process rewarding for our entire team and board.”

~ Megan Wright, Executive Director, Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice

Evolving The Roger Neilson Visual Identity

We reimagined their visual brand identity to support the new name while retaining historically important elements. A refreshed logo featuring three stars is at the heart of the logo redesign. These three stars symbolize the stages of the pediatric hospice journey—

  1. Diagnosis, 

  2. Living with illness and 

  3. Grief support. 

It’s simple, meaningful, and deeply connected to the families they serve.  

We also introduced a new visual brand architecture, including colour palettes, typography and iconography to balance approachability, compassion, warmth and professionalism while providing structure and clarity.

Establishing a Warm, Credible and Empathetic Brand Voice 

We reviewed and refined their brand messaging to ensure clarity and accessibility. As part of this process, we wrote the key sections of their website and public-facing collateral items such as pamphlets, brochures, and downloadable assets. This ensured all materials were consistent with the new brand messaging and voice.

Building a Visual Foundation and Standards

To consistently bring the brand to life, we developed a graphic standards manual with technical specifications and easy-to-use templates for brochures, social media graphics, and other materials. We also applied these standards to a new website.  And because we know a rebrand’s success depends on its usability, we coached and guided their team on Canva, giving them the standards, tools and templates to create on-brand materials in-house confidently.  

Honouring Legacy

Our rebrand of Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice strikes a strategic balance. It’s bold yet approachable, clear yet compassionate. It reflects the incredible work Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice does every day. This rebrand has given the hospice the clarity and tools to communicate its mission, vision and value effectively. Public perception is evolving, positioning is precise, their team feels energized and empowered, and their connection to Roger Neilson’s inspiring legacy remains as strong as ever.  

Your Brand, Reimagined  

At McGill Buckley, we believe in the power of a strategically-driven brand. It’s about more than aesthetics; it’s about clarity, connection, and ensuring every element of your brand supports your vision, mission and strategic goals.  Helping Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice refine its brand was an inspiring honour, and we’re proud of the results. Let's talk if you’re ready to explore what a reimagined brand and we could do for your organization. Contact us today.