For Lyette Soucy, the Jewish General Hospital (JGH) is synonymous with cutting-edge, innovative medicine. That is what inspired her to become a legacy donor.

In 2019, after undergoing routine breast cancer screening, her doctor referred her to the JGH to undergo more extensive testing.

“I had three biopsies with no pain at all. I was very pleased with the medical care I received from Dr. Francesca Proulx and her team at the JGH Radiology Department. I experienced right away the medical excellence of this Montreal healthcare facility, home to some of the world’s leading experts in a variety of medical specialities. In the time I spent in the departments where I was treated, I saw that they were equipped with the latest in medical technology.”

Lyette then learned that the hospital was able to purchase this highly sophisticated medical equipment thanks to donations to the JGH Foundation. “Most Quebecers believe that the government pays the full cost of our healthcare system, which is far from the case. Many are unaware of the admirable and enormous amount of work done by the foundations of major hospitals, including the JGH, which makes a big difference in the lives of the patients it treats.”

Wanting to learn more about the needs of the JGH, she visited three departments: Neurology, Oncology and Neonatology. “I was very impressed by the organization of these departments, their state-of-the-art medical equipment and the major advances they make every day in the field of medical research. During my visit, I had the privilege of meeting with senior members of these departments, including Dr. Té Vuong, a leading expert in colorectal cancer. They explained to me clearly the respective missions of their departments and the challenges they face on a daily basis.”

After the visit, which made a deep impression on her, Lyette seriously explored the possibility of making a legacy gift to the JGH Foundation. “I could clearly see the positive impact on the JGH by becoming a legacy donor to the Foundation.”

For Lyette, it is imperative that her legacy gift reflect her personal beliefs. “I want to ensure that the money I worked hard for and managed carefully during my lifetime will be put toward the collective well-being of our society, and used wisely by my heirs. This legacy gift will allow me to make a significant difference in the lives of many patients. It will also give me the tremendous satisfaction of having accomplished something extraordinary during my lifetime.”

She has full confidence in the JGH Foundation to manage her legacy. “The Foundation has a solid and well established reputation. I have opted for an endowment, with the annual income used to fund specific projects. The Foundation will also serve as my executor.”

In the meantime, Lyette has made a donation to the JGH, which she describes as “modest,” of which she is very proud. It was used to buy a new medical device for breast cancer screening. “The device will make it possible to screen 600 women a year for five years. These small technological tools can make a world of difference. They certainly help to reinforce the excellent reputation of the JGH.”

To find out more about Legacy Giving click here.

Last updated May 2021

The power of a planned gift is undeniable. To each person, leaving a legacy means something different and uniquely personal, to put a stamp on the future. To Yoav Ifergan it means honouring his parents who both underwent treatment at the Jewish General Hospital. 

“The greatest person who influenced me and I tried to emulate the most was my mother. She inspired me to give back,” Yoav shared. “Sadly, my mother succumbed to her illness many years ago, but her loving and caring generosity of spirit remains with me.”

In addition to his mother’s on-and-off treatment at the JGH, his father was also admitted to the hospital for three separate, equally concerning health issues.

“The first visit, he went in for bypass heart surgery,” Yoav explained. “The second visit was much more critical. He had suffered a stroke.”

While recovering in the Intensive Care Unit for over a month, the doctors made it clear to Yoav that his father had a 50 per cent chance of survival. He had developed an infection as a result of the stroke.

“Miraculously, he overcame both ailments at the same time and had no side effects as a result of the stroke or the infection,” Yoav said happily. “The doctors and nurses that attended to him were just amazing. You don’t really realize when you’re going through something traumatic like that, it’s only many years down the line when you reflect back that you realize how amazing the doctors and nurses were.”

“To this day, my father claims that the staff at the Jewish General saved his life. The way my parents were treated at the hospital was part of why I made a planned gift to the JGH. It was an opportunity for me to pass on some of my mother’s values and virtues to future generations of patients.”

There are many ways to support the JGH Foundation through a planned gift, with the most common being a bequest in your will. This type of donation represents about 90% of all planned gifts in Canada. A bequest is essentially a gift made through your will or trust; it can be a piece of property, a percentage of your estate, securities or cash. The funds will be distributed based on your predetermined instructions—to support or endow specific departments or programs, or to be used at the Hospital’s discretion.

Yoav’s gifts reflect two priorities at the Hospital. One is a general gift, providing undesignated funds to the area of greatest need at the JGH. The other was designated for the Intensive Care Unit. 

“I see the ICU as a place where there’s sophisticated equipment. It’s a nurse being by your side 24/7. It is space that’s a combination of technology mixed with human care and tenderness,” said Yoav.

“The bottom line: my gift will provide funding that will serve the community in a meaningful and purposeful way and save human lives. You can’t put a price on that.”

To find out more about Legacy Giving click here.

Last updated April 2021

There is no bond that we know of in the world, greater than that of a mother and her child. A mother’s love remains unconditional, devotionally extending even beyond the realm of life itself. For Florence Cohen, this hits close to home.

Florence’s daughter, Dr. Andrea Joy Cohen, M.D., O.B.M., tragically passed away in 2015 of esophageal cancer. A doctor, scientist, cancer researcher, author, poet and inspirational speaker, Dr. Cohen epitomized success in the eyes of her mother. “I think about my daughter all the time. I’m proud of her. She radiated kindness and she was a wonderful daughter,” Florence shared.

Dr. Cohen authored many poems and a book, A Blessing in Disguise: 39 Life Lessons from Today’s Greatest Teachers, published in 2008. It received much acclaim and debuted on the LA Bestseller List in its first week, as well as ranking on other lists following. Andrea had written two more manuscripts but she became ill with esophageal cancer, and did not have time to bring them to publication before she passed away.

When she died, Florence felt it was her responsibility to honour her daughter’s legacy. With two of Dr. Cohen’s unpublished manuscripts in hand, she thoughtfully began to prepare the documents for publication but didn’t know where to start.

Florence’s physiotherapist at the JGH, Natasha Grant, took her story to heart. “She spoke to her partner, Paul DuVernet, a graphic designer, who volunteered to design the book, and help get it published.” Thanks to the generous guidance offered by Paul, Florence self-published the second edition of Dr. Cohen’s book aptly named A Blessing in Disguise: 42 More Life Lessons from Today’s Greatest Teachers.

Over the years, Florence and her family were patients at the JGH. Dr. Cohen spent most of her adult life in the USA but was treated at the JGH when she was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. “All the proceeds of this book will go to the Jewish General Hospital, and more specifically to research esophageal cancer. I realize this type of cancer could benefit from some attention so, I hope it raises awareness for esophageal cancer research,” Florence shared.

The JGH’s Segal Cancer Centre is a state-of-the-art facility which provides patients with the most comprehensive approach to care, combining cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, psychosocial support, nutritional support and clinical and fundamental research in cancer. In addition to patient care, the Segal Cancer Centre is home to thriving cancer research programs focusing on fundamental, translational, clinical, nursing, psychosocial and palliative care research.

Florence concluded, “I am so gratified to be able to fulfill Andrea’s wish, and I’m very pleased to be able to share it with you. I hope you enjoy Andrea’s book, and feel her spirit through it.”

To purchase Dr. Cohen’s book on Amazon click here.

Last Updated April 2021

COVID-19 has dramatically affected how people in the province of Quebec are giving. According to a recent publication, although much of the event-based fundraising has been cancelled, funds raised by corporate donations, private foundations and individuals were massively redirected to organizations working on the frontlines. Meanwhile, forward-thinking and loyal donors have ramped up initiatives using their influence to inspire other community members.

 “I experienced excellence in patient-centered care that one can only encounter at the Jewish General Hospital. The treatment quality is unparalleled,” said Quebec media owner and Chairman of the Board of RNC MEDIA Inc., Pierre R. Brosseau. Connected to the hospital through the late André Bureau, former CRTC chair and Astral Media president, Pierre was called upon to help support the hospital over a decade ago.

In 2014, Pierre created Le Festin de Babette, a JGH Foundation community partner event. His goal: to assemble key Quebec families and changemakers together in one room, to wine and dine, while raising funds for Alzheimer’s Disease research in Dr. Andréa C. LeBlanc’s laboratory at the Lady Davis Institute. “My father passed away from Alzheimer’s disease, and I am sensitive to the cause because I am a good candidate for this illness.”

Donating nearly $3 million in personal and Brosseau Family Foundation gifts, Pierre was delighted by the success of the event and decided to change the focus of his philanthropic efforts for the next 5 editions of Le Festin de Babette in 2019, the year before the pandemic hit. “After meeting with Dr. Karl Weiss, the Chief of Infectious Diseases at the JGH, I was sold and decided the benefitting department would be his until 2023. It was harder then to get people interested in supporting the Centre for Infectious Diseases initially, but we still managed to raise $400,000.”

In the spring of 2020, with the coronavirus impacting each and every one of us, donations to combat this deadly virus, among other infectious diseases, suddenly became very necessary and relevant. “People began to recognize the importance of investing in research to fight infectious diseases. The Honorable Denis Coderre, who also happens to be the JGH Foundation’s Ambassador, decided to join me in raising funds and awareness for the newly formed The Centre of Excellence in Infectious Diseases at the JGH, headed up by Dr. Weiss. Together with the Foundation, we are working on a campaign to raise $7.5 million through our combined connections. Following the initial solicitation of major donors, the general public will be solicited through television and radio networks across Quebec at the end of February 2021.”

The Centre of Excellence in Infectious Diseases will be home to 7 new microbiologists, who will devote themselves to the discovery of novel means to prevent antibiotic resistance, as well as research into other viral and infectious diseases. We must be ready for what comes next. We have seen first-hand the impact of COVID-19 on our society, our health, our way of life. It is only through cutting-edge research – the kind that happens at the JGH – that we will be able to meet the next microbial foe head-on.

“I have been privileged in my life to be able to give back, and I hope to impart that same desire onto my children. If we have it in our wallets and our hearts, we should do what we can to leave this world a better place. It is just the way I see things at this point in my life.”

February 2021