Health Sciences Centre Foundation

11/21/2025

Help us fill our layettes (small gift bags) for parents in need of support!

By donating any of these items you'll be supporting soon-to-be parents and helping them prepare for the arrival of their little ones:
💚 Newborn and size 1 diapers and wipes, new or gently used diaper bag
💚 Unused baby hygiene essentials like lotion, diaper cream, and bath wash
💚 New or gently used newborn and 0-3 month sleepers, cozy winter clothing
💚 New or gently used swaddles, sleeping sacks, and baby blankets

If you would like to contribute, please drop off your donations at Volunteer Services, Orange Bison Level 2. Please note: Large items and other items not listed cannot be accepted at this time due to space limitations.

💚 NEW: If you would like to make a financial donation to the Baby Layette Program, you can now do so online through the secure Health Sciences Centre Foundation portal here: https://ow.ly/7S3C50XuVQ8

Your generosity is appreciated!

11/18/2025

At just fifteen, Kevin McFadden experienced firsthand the impact of health care after his family faced a tragedy.

Born in Saskatchewan and raised in Winnipeg, Kevin built a successful career in business and later gave back through leadership roles with the Health Sciences Centre Foundation. He chose to make a legacy gift to help strengthen health care and drive innovation for future generations in Manitoba.

Read Kevin’s story and learn how you can leave a lasting legacy through a future gift: https://www.hscfoundation.mb.ca/stories/kevin-mcfaddens-legacy-story/

11/17/2025

11/14/2025

As we lead into National Philanthropy Day, we’re celebrating YOU—the donors and partners who make excellence in health care possible.

We’re proud to share our 2024-2025 Annual Report, highlighting the incredible impact of alignment across Shared Health, HSC leaders and medical teams, the HSC Foundation, and supporters like you.

This year’s report features:

✨Progress through the Operation Excellence campaign, including Manitoba’s first da Vinci Xi surgical robot
✨Record-setting fundraising through Radiothon, Savour New Zealand, and Innovation HSC
✨New investments in diagnostic and minimally invasive surgical technology
✨A celebration of the 5th anniversary of the Wilf Taillieu Thoracic Surgery Clinic
✨Donor-funded research grants advancing life-changing medical studies

Thanks to your generosity, patients across Manitoba are receiving tomorrow’s health care, today.

Read our 2024-2025 Annual Report: https://www.hscfoundation.mb.ca/about/reports-statements/

11/13/2025

A heartfelt thank you to Just Like New To You on World Kindness Day! Today is all about celebrating acts of kindness and their generosity is truly a perfect example.

They have once again shown their generosity and love for our community, donating enough to cover the next three years of expenses for the HSC_Winnipeg Therapy Dog Program, ensuring it continues through 2026, 2027, and 2028. You may remember that they first brought this program to life at HSC by funding it entirely from 2023 to 2025. Their ongoing commitment means more comfort, smiles, and moments of calm for patients, families, and staff across HSC.

And that’s not all, they have also donated to the 2026 Innovation HSC Radiothon and to Savour Mexico: Wine & Food Experience. Their generosity extends far beyond one program, supporting health care innovation and compassionate care at HSC.

Thank you Just Like New To You, for making a lasting difference!

11/12/2025

Jean Lang found a meaningful way to honour her family’s legacy and give back to the place where her own journey began.

Originally from Winnipeg, Jean began her career in nursing on the Bannatyne campus before moving to California, where she built a successful career in health care technology.

With gratitude for her Manitoba roots, Jean chose to make a legacy gift to the Health Sciences Centre Foundation, helping ensure future generations have access to quality care and continued innovation right here at home. “Giving back to where it all started felt right,” she says. “It was full circle.”

Your future gift can help HSC continue to innovate, care, and heal. Read Jean’s story and learn how you can make a lasting difference: https://www.hscfoundation.mb.ca/stories/jean-langs-story/

11/10/2025

“I’m feeling great, and I’m feeling grateful,” says Al Simoens.

After rising PSA levels led to a prostate cancer diagnosis, Al underwent robotic surgery at HSC Winnipeg. “The machine is impressive,” he recalls. “It has four arms that insert instruments through very small incisions. With open surgery, I would have needed a big incision, which would have meant a longer, more painful recovery and a higher risk of infection.”

Just a few months after surgery, Al was back to his daily routine — returning to the gym, the golf course, and his “retirement job” as a school bus driver.

Thanks to donors who supported the purchase of the da Vinci Xi surgical robot through the HSC Foundation’s Operation Excellence campaign, patients like Al are benefitting from minimally invasive procedures and faster recoveries.

Read Al’s story and support advanced health care at HSC: https://www.hscfoundation.mb.ca/stories/returning-to-routine/

11/10/2025

Chandra Hawkins, Nurse Practitioner at HSC Women’s Hospital, has been a cornerstone of the Perinatal Mental Health Program since its inception in June 2019.

Tasked with building the program from the ground up, Chandra has dedicated herself to supporting patients through one of the most vulnerable periods of their lives — pregnancy and postpartum.

“I love my job,” Chandra said. “When I became an NP in 2015, my ultimate goal was to work in women’s health. When I learned of two fulltime NP positions at Women’s Hospital in 2019, I was ecstatic, and excitedly applied.

“As an RN, I started my career on labour and delivery at Women’s Hospital and had long wanted to return. When I told my interviewers that this was my dream job, I meant it. Every day I feel privileged to work with such amazing colleagues and patients.”

This Nurse Practitioner (NP) Week, we are celebrating the dedication, innovation, and compassionate care that NPs bring to HSC by sharing stories exemplifying the diverse roles nurse practitioners take across the facility.

Visit https://ow.ly/c6Gs50XouHc for Chandra's full story and more.

11/06/2025

Radiothon Impact: Supporting Nurses & Patients

At HSC’s Wilf Taillieu Thoracic Surgery Clinic and Endoscopy Unit, every day is about changing lives. For Clinical Resource Nurse Laurel Wakefield, the gratitude from patients is a daily reminder of the power of donor support.

✨ “When I found this role, I fell in love with nursing all over again. I oversee the flow of the unit—making sure our team has what they need, and that every patient receives timely, compassionate care.”

This one-of-a-kind clinic opened in 2019 thanks to a $3.275M investment from HSC Foundation donors. It allows patients to receive life-changing procedures—often in a single day—while avoiding long waits and overnight stays.

“I am so grateful that people are willing to donate their hard-earned money. These donations are impacting the lives of our patients greatly.”
Donor support doesn’t just fund equipment and spaces; it empowers health care teams like Laurel’s to provide the best care possible for patients across Manitoba.

💙 Learn more about how donations have been impacting patients’ lives: https://www.hscfoundation.mb.ca/stories/national-nursing-week-2025-meet-laurel-wakefield/

11/04/2025

Join us in celebrating Legacy Month this November.

Planned gifts have the power to transform lives. Across Manitoba, generous donors are helping advance health care, fuel innovation, and create lasting change for patients and families. Each contribution helps shape the future of care at HSC Winnipeg - carrying forward a legacy of compassion and impact.

Throughout Legacy Month, we’re proud to share inspiring stories from members of the Bannatyne Legacy Circle — individuals and families whose enduring generosity continues to make a difference for generations to come.

Learn more about legacy giving and the Bannatyne Legacy Circle: https://www.hscfoundation.mb.ca/impact/legacy-giving/

11/03/2025

Applications are now open for the 2026 HSC Foundation General Operating and Allied Health Research grants!

The HSC Foundation supports health care excellence by funding clinical projects and medical research that benefit the diverse communities served by HSC Winnipeg.

Key Dates for both grants:

📅 Deadline for Letter of Intent: Friday, November 7, 2025 at 4:30pm

📅 Deadline for Full Application: Friday, February 13, 2026 at 4:30pm

Learn more and access the application: https://www.hscfoundation.mb.ca/about/grants/