HSC Foundation receives $1M donation

Canada Life announced a $1 million donation to the Health Sciences Centre Foundation to help with patient care.

The Health Sciences Centre (HSC) Foundation has announced a $1 million donation from Canada Life as part of a fundraising campaign to improve patient care.

The donation comes as part of the foundation’s Operation Excellence campaign, which strives to “dramatically increase surgical care” at HSC, according to Katie Hall Hursch, chair of the HSC board of directors.

The announcement was made Thursday in the HSC’s John Buhler Atrium.

Hursch said the multi-year fundraising campaign, launched in 2022, ultimately intends to improve patient care, shorten hospital stays, and reduce wait times.

“As the leading benefits provider in Canada, we believe in the values of health accessibility, health affordability, health efficacy, and quality of health, and it’s so aligned with the mission of HSC,” said Fabrice Morin, president and CEO of Canada Life.

The foundation’s fundraising campaign aims to raise $50 million as part of a six-year capital plan to refocus HSC as a “surgical centre of excellence and innovation.”

The Progressive Conservative provincial government had committed $50 million to the capital plan when it was launched, with the plan aiming to raise $100 million in total.

Dr. Chris Christodoulou, interim president and CEO of Shared Health, said the fundraising campaign has already allowed HSC to acquire Manitoba’s first surgical robot, da Vinci Xi.

Hursch said the minimally invasive surgical robot has been used for 90 oncology procedures related to the female reproductive system between September 2024 and September 2025. Of those procedures, she said 25 patients would not have been eligible for surgery before the robot was acquired.

“This is simply outstanding,”Hursch said. “25 lives extended, 25 families who had the gift of more time with their loved ones. 25 very positive outcomes.”

The fundraising campaign has also allowed HSC to acquire state-of-the art minimally invasive spine surgery equipment, new ultrasound systems and an advanced neurological navigation system.