By Julie Quenneville
In February, Newsweek released its highly anticipated ranking of the world’s top hospitals, and for the second year in a row, University Health Network (UHN) was ranked #3 in the world. Second only to Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic in the United States, UHN’s recognition is already an incredible achievement. But to be the only publicly funded hospital — a Canadian hospital — at the top of this pedigreed list of healthcare giants is what resonates most for me and many of my colleagues at UHN Foundation. Let me explain why.
Our work as fundraisers is rooted in service. Service to UHN, service to patients and service to our community. The time, effort and dedication we put into raising money for UHN is helping to solve some of health care’s biggest challenges. What drives us is not about awards or accolades, but about finding ways to support the teams who are working to defy the status quo — for every Canadian in need of UHN’s expert care, and for people around the world.
Every major milestone UHN has reached, whether it’s pioneering new treatments, research breakthroughs or expanding access to world-class care to communities beyond our hospitals’ walls, has been made possible by the generosity of donors who share our vision of finding new and better treatments and curing disease. This latest recognition from Newsweek reinforces what we have always known: when a community rallies together, we can achieve the extraordinary. In our line of work, it’s not uncommon to hear people say that they don’t feel they have “enough” to contribute to make a real difference, and I could not disagree more. It is thanks to every donation, from one to one million dollars, that we are leading the way and making tangible change.
UHN’s Gattuso Centre for Social Medicine is a powerful example of how fundraising can help bridge the gap between public need and medical innovation. In 2004, 100 patients experiencing homelessness accounted for more than 4,000 visits to the UHN emergency department (ED) — about 5% of all ED visits that year. From Canada’s first prescribed social housing to peer support workers in the ED, the Gattuso Centre is not only alleviating the strain on our EDs, but it’s also providing our most vulnerable patients with the specialized care they need. Through collaboration with community organizations, this initiative guarantees that individuals with lived experience of homelessness, mental health challenges and substance use disorders receive comprehensive, continuous care — guiding them from the hospital back into their home communities with the support they need.
Recently, we were able to expand UHN’s social medicine program, bringing it farther into the community and ultimately, giving it the chance to help even more people in need. The expansion will offer additional health and social services from psychiatry to nursing and personal support care to patients in the coming year.
The Gattuso Centre is a testament to the fact that, when donors back our biggest and boldest ideas, we can tackle some of healthcare’s greatest challenges and drive meaningful, lasting change. Our donors are not just supporters, they are partners in innovation. They enable us to recruit and retain the brightest minds in medicine and push the boundaries of what is possible. Philanthropy ensures that the best health care is not only available today, but continues to evolve for future generations — transcending borders and economic status.
As we celebrate this milestone for Canada, we recognize that none of it would be possible without the individuals, families and organizations who believe in our mission — including our staff. Their generosity and dedication to the cause are woven into every breakthrough, every patient success story and every step forward. Community support has brought us this far. I look forward to seeing what we will achieve together next.
Julie Quenneville is the CEO of UHN Foundation. Quenneville’s acknowledged dedication to health care has earned her numerous accolades, including being named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women; one of Concordia University’s Top 50 under 50; and receiving the Medal of the Quebec National Assembly. She serves as Chair of the Banff Forum and is a member of the Executive Committee of the 2024 President’s Cup, a global team golf competition which will be played in Montreal. Her vast knowledge of philanthropy, modern business strategy, and government relations has made her a sought-after speaker on multiple platforms. Quenneville is a change agent, a passionate advocate for innovative research, and a firm believer that advancing medicine is a global responsibility. She writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.
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